Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, such as thighs and drumsticks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 large lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 cup pitted green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, halved or gently crushed
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus 2 whole sprigs
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Do This
- 1. Heat the oven to 425°F and pat the chicken very dry.
- 2. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- 3. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, wine or broth, garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 4. Add lemon slices, olives, and rosemary sprigs, then nestle chicken in the dish skin-side up.
- 5. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, basting once, until the chicken reaches 175°F in the thickest part.
- 6. Rest 10 minutes, spoon the pan sauce over the chicken, and finish with parsley.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big flavor with very little effort: The oven does most of the work while garlic, lemon, olives, rosemary, and olive oil create a bright, savory pan sauce.
- Feels familiar but special: It is simple roasted chicken, but the briny olives and roasted lemon make it dinner-party worthy.
- No searing required: The chicken roasts skin-side up at a high temperature, so it browns beautifully without extra stovetop work.
- Great with almost anything: Serve it with crusty bread, rice, potatoes, couscous, or a green salad to catch every spoonful of sauce.
Grocery List
- Produce: 3 lemons, 1 head garlic, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh parsley
- Dairy: None needed
- Pantry: Extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth, pitted green olives
- Meat: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, such as thighs and drumsticks
Full Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, such as 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for seasoning the chicken
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 medium lemons
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For Roasting and Finishing
- 1 large lemon, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds, seeds removed
- 1 cup pitted green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, halved or gently crushed
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
- Optional: 1 tablespoon olive brine, for an extra-briny pan sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oven and prepare the chicken
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position. Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels, especially the skin. This helps the skin brown instead of steam. Place the chicken on a plate or small tray and season all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. If you have 10 extra minutes, let the seasoned chicken sit at room temperature while you prepare the sauce.
Step 2: Make the bright lemon-garlic pan sauce
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similar shallow roasting pan, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth, sliced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. If you like a slightly saltier, more olive-forward sauce, whisk in 1 tablespoon olive brine.
Step 3: Add the lemons, olives, and herbs
Scatter the thin lemon slices, green olives, and rosemary sprigs through the sauce in the baking dish. Try to keep some lemon slices directly in the sauce and a few tucked between the chicken pieces later; the ones that touch the pan will soften and mellow, while the exposed edges may caramelize slightly.
Step 4: Arrange the chicken skin-side up
Nestle the chicken pieces into the dish skin-side up. Spoon a little of the lemony oil mixture over the chicken, but do not submerge the skin completely; keeping the skin exposed helps it roast and brown. Arrange the olives and lemon slices around the chicken rather than piling them on top.
Step 5: Roast until golden and cooked through
Roast uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is deeply golden, the garlic is fragrant, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. After about 25 minutes, carefully spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken, then return the dish to the oven. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh or drumstick, not touching bone, reads at least 165°F. For the most tender dark meat, aim for 175°F to 185°F.
Step 6: Broil briefly for extra color, if needed
If the chicken is fully cooked but you want more browning on the skin, turn the broiler to high and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely. The lemon slices, garlic, and chicken skin can go from golden to too dark quickly, so stay near the oven.
Step 7: Rest and finish the sauce
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. During this time, the juices settle and the pan sauce becomes even more flavorful. Taste a small spoonful of the sauce. If it tastes too sharp, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water or chicken broth. If it needs brightness, add a small squeeze of fresh lemon.
Step 8: Serve with the pan sauce
Sprinkle the chicken with chopped fresh parsley and serve straight from the baking dish or transfer to a warm platter. Spoon the garlicky lemon-olive pan sauce over each piece, making sure every serving gets olives, softened lemon slices, and some of the fragrant rosemary oil. This is especially good with crusty bread, roasted potatoes, rice, couscous, or orzo.
Pro Tips
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for best flavor: The skin protects the meat and the bones add richness to the sauce as everything roasts together.
- Pat the chicken very dry: Moisture on the surface prevents browning. A dry surface plus a hot oven gives you better color without searing.
- Choose mild green olives: Castelvetrano olives are buttery and not too sharp, which makes them perfect with lemon and garlic.
- Slice the lemon thinly: Thin lemon rounds soften in the pan and become pleasantly bittersweet instead of tough or overly pithy.
- Do not skip the rest: Resting for 10 minutes keeps the chicken juicy and gives the sauce a chance to settle.
Variations
- Mediterranean-style: Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce, then finish with crumbled feta just before serving.
- Potato dinner version: Add 1 pound baby potatoes, halved, to the baking dish with the sauce. Use a larger roasting pan so everything fits in one layer, and roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Orange-lemon herb chicken: Replace half of the lemon juice with fresh orange juice and add 1 teaspoon orange zest for a softer, slightly sweeter citrus flavor.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store leftover chicken and pan sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered baking dish at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or warm individual portions in the microwave at 50% power until heated through. For the best texture, spoon some sauce over the chicken before reheating. You can assemble the chicken, sauce, olives, lemons, and herbs in the baking dish up to 12 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Before roasting, let the dish sit at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes while the oven heats. Do not freeze the lemon slices, as they can become bitter and mushy, but the cooked chicken without the lemon rounds may be frozen with some sauce for up to 2 months.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 635 kcal | Carbs: 8g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Sodium: 1010mg | Cholesterol: 215mg
