Description
This Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring tender chicken roasted to perfection with garlic, herbs, and lemon. Served with a zesty dressing made from fresh herbs, olives, and a touch of goat cheese, this recipe is perfect for a hearty main course that delights the senses.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Roasting
- 6 boneless chicken thighs and/or breasts, skin on or off
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, whole
- 6 slices of salted butter (4 tablespoons total, sliced)
Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup green olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Chopped charred lemon slices (from 1 lemon)
- Mash of charred garlic cloves from roasting pan
- 4 ounces goat cheese, broken into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F to ensure it is hot enough for roasting the chicken and lemons properly.
- Prepare Chicken: On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken pieces with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, finely chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss everything thoroughly to evenly coat the chicken.
- Arrange Ingredients: Place the chicken on the baking sheet and arrange the lemon halves and whole garlic cloves around the chicken. Add one slice of butter on top of each piece of chicken.
- Roast Chicken: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the lemon slices are charred. Monitor the lemons and garlic to prevent burning.
- Make Dressing: While the chicken roasts, combine the remaining olive oil, parsley, oregano, basil, olives, vinegar, and fish sauce in a bowl. Stir together well.
- Prepare Lemon and Garlic for Dressing: Remove the charred lemon slices and garlic cloves from the pan. Finely chop the lemon slices, including the rind, but discard the seeds. Mash the garlic into a paste and add both to the dressing.
- Season Dressing: Add crushed red pepper flakes and salt to the dressing. Taste and adjust by adding more lemon as desired.
- Serve: Plate each piece of roasted chicken, spoon the lemon olive dressing over top, and garnish with chunks of goat cheese for a creamy, tangy finish.
Notes
- For bone-in chicken, increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes to ensure proper doneness.
- Use skin-on chicken for added crispiness and flavor, or skinless for a leaner option.
- Fish sauce in the dressing is optional but adds umami depth; omit for a milder flavor.
- Monitor the lemon slices during roasting to avoid burning; char adds flavor but too much can be bitter.
- Substitute goat cheese with feta or ricotta for alternative creamy toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
