When I think of a good chicken dinner, I imagine tender meat, crisp skin, and lots of flavor. This recipe delivers on all three of those and more. Plus, instead of fighting with a whole bird, you can pick up a large package of chicken thighs - you can often get them for a steal when purchased in larger amounts - and avoid having to cut raw chicken entirely.
I love kalamata olives, but you can substitute other olives or skip them entirely. However, they do add a briny element to this dish and I really love them. If you think baking the chicken with lemon will make it too tart, think again! Don't skip it - it adds so much flavor. If you are still concerned, consider using a meyer lemon, which is a very sweet variety of lemon. Also, don't skip the stovetop steps here. They prepare the chicken for roasting and build the beginnings of that amazing sauce. Besides, it takes about 15 minutes and constitutes most of the hands on time this recipe will ask of you.
I love serving this dish with roasted or mashed potatoes. Rice would also be nice. Just make sure you have some kind of starch to accept the amazing juices rendered during the baking process. They are amazing. If you are looking for something fresh to serve too, consider a Greek Salad. Might as well lean into the theme, right?
Greek Skillet Chicken
- 10 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
- 2 teaspoons Penzeys Ruth Ann's Muskego Ave Chicken/Fish Seasoning or similar seasoned salt blend
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Season the chicken thighs with the seasoning blend on both sides.
In a large 12 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in the skillet, and cook on both sides for about 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is golden brown. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside for a few minutes on a plate.
Add the garlic cloves, onions, and the lemon wedges to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions and garlic begin to soften and start to brown a bit.
Add the olives, white wine, and lemon juice to the skillet. Add the chicken back to the skillet, arranging the chicken so that it sits directly on the bottom of the skillet, spooning the garlic, onions, lemon wedges, and olives evenly over the top of the chicken.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake it for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Yields: 8-10 servings
- Preparation Time: About 1 hour