This easy chicken recipe takes only minutes to make but your guests will think you slaved over a hot stove! Chicken breasts are simply seared first in an oven-safe pan until the skin is browned. Fresh rosemary sprigs are added then the whole pan goes into the oven until the breasts are done (about 10-12 minutes). Manzanilla olives, preserved lemons, lemon juice, parsley and olive oil are added to the pan to complete this robust and brightly flavored dish that has the delicious essence of both Spain and Morocco.
Roasted Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Manzanilla Olives
Courtesy of Ethan Stowell and Olives from Spain
Serves 4
This dish was served as part of a multi-course olive-themed tasting menu at How to Cook a Wolf restaurant in Seattle. Get all the delicious recipes here.
4 chicken breasts
1 cup Manzanilla olives
2 preserved lemons, rinds removed and thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
4 sprigs rosemary
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. When hot add the chicken breasts skin side down. Cook until skin is golden brown and the skin is crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Flip chicken breasts over, add the rosemary sprigs to the pan and place the entire pan in the oven. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through, about 10-12 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 150 degrees internally. Remove the chicken from the pan, add the Manzanilla olives, preserved lemons, lemon juice, parsley, and about ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil to the pan—this will be the sauce.
Divide the chicken between four plates, heat the sauce over medium heat and spoon evenly over the chicken breasts. Serve while hot and enjoy with a vegetable side such as roasted onions or carrots.
