Lemon Chicken with Olives and Potatoes

This lemon chicken is the perfect one-pot meal! A slow braise means the chicken will fall off the bones; potatoes and carrots soaks up the bright, lemony sauce.

It’s January and, just like that, a switch flipped. I never thought I’d see the day, but I’m sick of cookies (I give it about a week before I’m eating them again). Instead, I’m craving wholesome foods that are comforting but not heavy. And vegetables. Lots and lots of vegetables. I don’t really “do” diets – it seems like every time I try one I lose 5 pounds only to gain 10 back – but I’m definitely excited to get back on track with some lighter, fresher recipes this month.

I always try to make sure my first post of the year is something simple, delicious and, most importantly, fun to cook and eat. Last year, the honor went to braised eggplant with ground lamb. This year, I decided lemon chicken with olives and potatoes was perfect. It’s a recipe that I’ve been meaning to make ever since I had something similar at EPCOT last May, but I didn’t get around to it until last week.

This recipe really couldn’t be any easier to make: brown the chicken on the stove, then add the rest of the ingredients and stick it in the oven. An hour later,  you’ll be rewarded with succulent chicken that falls right off the bone, tender potatoes and carrots, and an amazing broth flavored with bright lemons and briny olives. (If you’re counting calories, you can toss the skin aside before serving this, but it adds a ton of flavor to the dish so I don’t recommend starting with skinless chicken.)

Lemon Chicken with Olives and Potatoes

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Traditionally, a dish like this one might use preserved lemons. Since those are next to impossible to find (and pretty pricey!) I made my own "quick preserved lemons." They don't have quite the same flavor as the real deal, but they take less than a day and definitely serve their purpose in this recipe. Since the ingredients here are so simple, splurge on the best ones you can. I used a whole organic chicken that I broke down myself (it was under $8) and gorgeous Sicilian olives from the olive bar near my supermarket's deli counter.

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Ingredients

• 2 seedless lemons
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 3 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and/or legs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 1/2 pounds small golden potatoes
• 1 cup good-quality pitted green olives
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into half moons
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Cut the lemons into a 1/4-inch dice (keep the peel on). In a small bowl, combine the lemons, 1 tablespoon salt, and sugar; mix well. Let sit at least 3 hours or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
2. Heat oven to 350ºF. Combine the ginger, turmeric, paprika, salt, and coriander. Rub onto the chicken skin. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (or an ovenproof deep-sided skillet) set over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook 8 minutes or until skin is golden and crisp. Flip the chicken over.
3. Add the garlic, potatoes, olives, carrot, and chicken stock. Stir into the salted lemons and any juice that accumulated in the bowl. Cover and transfer to the oven. Roast for 1 hour.
4. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving Calories 553 Total Fat 22.1g Fiber 6.6g Protein 46.9g