As a parent of three younger children, I am always looking for quick healthy recipes that I can feed the family or share with friends if we have last minute guests. A friend of mine dropped off a cookbook by Alison Roman for my birthday a few years ago and I quickly became a big fan. Making the most of those yummy pan drippings, this recipe is easy and allows the chicken to remain very tender and moist which I often struggle with. Add an orzo or polenta dish on the side to make it a complete meal.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (thighs, drumsticks, wings)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1½ cups green Castelvetrano olives, crushed and pitted
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with turmeric and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Make sure chicken is skin-side up, then pour vinegar over and around chicken and place in the oven.
- Bake chicken, without flipping, until cooked through and deeply browned all over, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine olives, garlic, parsley, the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
- Once chicken is cooked, remove baking sheet from the oven and transfer chicken to a large serving platter, leaving behind any of the juices and bits stuck to the pan.
- Make sure the baking sheet is on a sturdy surface (the stovetop, a counter), then pour the olive mixture onto the sheet. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently scrape up all the bits the chicken left behind, letting the olive mixture mingle with the rendered fat and get increasingly saucy. Pour olive mixture over the chicken, then serve.