Baked Lemon Chicken and Olives
Enjoy a simple one-pan Baked Lemon Chicken and Olives, a savory dish in a bright and briny sauce. This Mediterranean-inspired dish is delicious served with its own pan juices poured over the chicken and any side dishes, such as vegetables, rice, roasted potatoes, or a giant salad.
Baked lemon chicken with olives is a savory dish prepared as a one-pot-meal. The chicken is seasoned and baked with lemons, olives, and herbs, which creates a flavorful and moist meal with a bright, briny sauce. This Mediterranean-inspired dish can include other ingredients such as onions, potatoes, or capers and can be served with its own pan juices poured over the chicken and any side dishes.
And if you’re a lemon lover, try this Skillet Lemon Chicken recipe (with carrots and potatoes). So good!
What is Baked Lemon Chicken and Olives?
Baked lemon chicken and olives is a dish made with chicken (we use chicken thighs), baked with lemon, olives, garlic, and spices. The comes together with the briny flavors of lemon and olives, the richness of the chicken thighs, and aromatic seasonings like garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, and more.
The recipe involves a deep dish or skillet that you can use on the stove, and then transfer to the oven. I love my Le Creuset Cast Iron 3.5 Quart Braiser because it’s great for stove to oven to table!
This dish is quite easy to make with very simple ingredients, many that you can stock in your pantry (the spices, stock, olives). Just run to the store for chicken and fresh lemons! And then of course what you want to serve with it, whether it be rice, potatoes, polenta, etc.
Ingredients needed to make Baked Lemon Chicken with olives
- Chicken thighs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- White onion
- minced ginger
- minced garlic
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- turmeric
- Dash of paprika
- chicken stock or veggie stock
- saffron
- Olive oil
- kalamata olives
- emons
- Salt and pepper to taste
How do you make
Serving
When chicken is done, the onions and spices should be reduced to a thick paste. To serve, plate on top of wilted greens and leeks with fresh pepper. Enjoy!
Tips & substitutions:
- Optional to use chicken breasts (we cut into smaller pieces).
- Use veggie or beef broth if you don’t have chicken broth.
- You can use a variety of olives – it’s great with a mix of green, black, kalamata, etc.
- STORAGE: Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- LEFTOVERS: Serve over rice, potatoes, or even delish in a wrap!
More chicken dishes you may want to try:
- One-Pot Paprika Chicken Thighs [one of the most popular recipes on RE]
- Lemon Gnocchi Chicken
- Mayo Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Curried Chicken Divan
Get the Recipe:
Baked Lemon Chicken And Olives
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper, or more to taste
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. turmeric
- Dash of paprika
- 1 cup chicken stock, more as needed
- ¼ tsp. saffron, optional
- Olive oil
- ½ cup kalamata olives, rinsed
- 2 lemons, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Coat the bottom of a large, deep skillet with olive oil, over medium-high heat. Wash and dry the chicken thighs, and season with salt and pepper on both sides. When oil is hot, sear them in the skillet, browning both sides. Remove the chicken and place on a plate—preserve all of the juices they release!
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onion to the skillet, with the addition of more oil if necessary, and cook until slightly softened and browned—5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and turmeric.
- Next, add the chicken pieces, and toss to coat in onion and spices—pour into the pan any juice from the plate the chicken was on.
- Pour the chicken stock into the skillet, and nestle chicken into pan. Add the lemon slices and olives, and sprinkle the saffron. Bring stock to a simmer, cover the skillet, and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Transfer covered pan to the oven and cook for 7 minutes, then remove cover and cook for another 7 minutes.
- When chicken is done, the onions and spices should be reduced to a thick paste. To serve, plate on top of wilted greens and leeks with fresh pepper. Or, serve with poatoes, rice, polenta, etc.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
love this recipe, great balance of flavors and very different recipe, thank you!