CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND OLIVES
If you love olives, this one's for you. Whether for a week night dinner, or as part of a buffet for a crowd, this is a regular in my repertoire and always receives rave reviews. It is super easy and so flavorful, thanks to the tang from the lemon juice and the brininess of the olives. You can grill the chicken in advance and cover with foil, then heat the sauce up at the last minute and pour over when you're ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed (about 4 lemons)
- 2 tsp Lemon Zest (zest of 1 lemon - zest before squeezing)
- 1 Lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cup Shallots, minced (1 large or 2 medium shallots)
- 2 TBSP Garlic, minced (use a garlic press) (about 6 large cloves)
- 1 1/2 Cups White Wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
- 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive OIl
- 8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (4 Whole Breasts)
- 1 Cup Kalamata Olives, pitted & sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 Cup Green Olives, pitted & sliced crosswise (such as Castelveltrano)
Instructions
PREPARE MARINADE & MARINATE CHICKEN
- Crush the garlic with a garlic press, scraping out all of the flesh in between pressings and place in a medium bowl or 4 cup measuring cup.
- Add the lemon zest, chopped shallots, salt, pepper, lemon juice and white wine and whisk together.
- Whisk in the olive oil until it is well blended.
- Place the chicken breasts and lemon slices in a container large enough to hold all of the meat and the marinade, preferably a plastic container with a secure lid. (A large/gallon Zip Loc bag also works well - just place it in a bowl or baking dish in case it leaks.)
- Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure the chicken is completely submerged. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator to marinate. Allow to marintate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator about an hour before you are ready to cook. (Note - you can cook up to 2-3 hours in advance of serving.)
- Prepare your grill - either gas (propane) or charcoal. While the grill is heating or your charcoal is getting to the appropriate readiness, remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a platter.
- Pour the marinade (including the lemon slices) into a 10" saute pan or a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it has come to a boil, reduce to medium and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes to ensure all bacteria have been cooked off. Add another 1/2 cup white wine and reduce heat to simmer and partially cover allowing to reduce by about 1/4.
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on one side, covered, until it is not sticking and can easily be turned (it should have good grill marks or be lightly charred). Flip the chicken to the other side and cook for another 3 minutes, covered. After 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium to medium-low and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Removed the chicken from the grill and allow to rest on a platter. If not serviing right away, cover with foil and allow to rest and keep warm for up to 2 hours.
- While the chicken is resting (or just before you are ready to serve) add the olives to the marinade. If the marinade has reduced too much, add a bit more wine and bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol, then decrease the heat and allow to simmer.
- Pour the olive sauce over the chicken and garnish with additional lemon slices. If serving as part of a buffet, cut the chicken in half on the diagonal.
- Serve with wild rice, rice pilaf, or Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.
Notes
KTINA'S TIPS
- I have served this successfully many times as part of a buffet. Simply cook the chicken up to 2 hours before you wish to serve and cover tightly with foil either at room temp or in a 180* oven. Slice on the diagonal into halves or thirds, depending on the size of your chicken breasts, and pour the olive sauce over.
- I like to serve this with Mediterranean Quinoa Salad and Roasted Brussels sprouts or broccolini. A Caprese Salad makes a delightful first course.
- Most supermarket "antipasto bsrs" have pitted Kalamata and other olives. I usually get mine at Whole Foods, but mainly because their locations are handy where I live. I like to use Castelveltrano olives, as they have a somewhat buttery flavor that is a good offset to the stronger taste of the Kalamatas.
- Not a huge fan of olives (or all of your family isn't)? You can dial back the olives, or simply set aside a little of the suace for olives and pour the rest of the sauce over the chicken for the rest of the family. It's still a tasty dish.