Braised Chicken With Lemon and Olives

Braised Chicken With Lemon and Olives
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Rating
5(3,542)
Comments
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A good cook needs an assortment of chicken dishes to fall back on. Aside from roasting or frying (and in addition to grilling), braising chicken is a simple technique to master. Chicken thighs make the best braises; use skin-on bone-in thighs for the best flavor. Though it could be done on the stovetop, this dish is oven-braised.

Here are more recipes using chicken thighs.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 8chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in, about 3½ pounds
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 6garlic cloves, minced
  • ½teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • 1tablespoon roughly chopped rosemary
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 2Meyer lemons, cut in wedges
  • 1cup flavorful olives with pits, a mixture of black and green, about 1 pound
  • 1cup chicken broth
  • 3tablespoons chopped parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

646 calories; 48 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 44 grams protein; 829 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper and place in an earthenware baking dish in one layer, skin side up. Sprinkle with red pepper, garlic, fennel and rosemary and drizzle with olive oil. Rub seasoning into thighs on all sides. Tuck lemon wedges here and there. Let marinate for 15 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Put baking dish in oven, uncovered, and roast until skin browns lightly, about 20 minutes. Scatter olives evenly over chicken and add broth. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour, until meat is very tender when probed with a skewer.

  3. Step 3

    Remove thighs and lemon wedges and arrange on a platter. Keep warm. Pour pan juices into a saucepan and quickly skim fat from surface. Over high heat, simmer rapidly until reduced by half. Spoon juices over chicken, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5
3,542 user ratings
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Comments

I've made this at least five times over the past year. The only thing that I would change is that recipe calls for the chicken to be put in the over to be browned slightly. That didn't work for me. I brown the chicken in a skillet then put the spices on and cook it for just under an hour. The chicken looks nicer and has a little crunch on the skin.

Try this with oranges (peel and all) especially if Meyer lemons aren't easily available. Here in India we don't see them, so oranges (amp up spiciness to cut their sweetness). I also sear the chicken pieces (skin side only) instead of the initial baking to ensure a crispier skin.

This was amazing! The second time I made it I added artichoke hearts, which went wonderfully with the dish.

I made exactly as instructed. We found it bland. Use your imagination to increase flavor profile.

This was delicious. Made it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cooking time was 15 for the first round in the oven and then 30 for the second. More than enough to reach internal temp of 165 F.

Absolutely delicious! I was about to put this in to cook when I discovered that my oven was broken. Instead we grilled the chicken before putting it in a pan on the stovetop to braise for an hour. Turned out amazing! Grilling gave it a nice smoky flavor. A great recipe even if you don’t have an oven!

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