Chicken in Lemon Sauce with Olives
User Reviews
4.2
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
35 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
487 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Chicken in Lemon Sauce with Olives
Description
Chicken pieces, skin on, are brushed with olive oil and seasoned before roasting at 400°F until cooked through with a golden exterior. Frequent basting encourages browning and moist meat. In the meantime, a sauce is prepared by whisking room-temperature egg yolks with fresh lemon juice. Hot chicken stock is gradually incorporated to raise the temperature without scrambling the eggs, then the mixture is gently cooked until slightly thickened and silky, taking care not to boil it.
The sauce is poured into a casserole dish and the roasted chicken is arranged atop it, crowned with oil-cured black olives and fresh thyme leaves. This assembly lets the flavors meld before serving. The dish pairs well with simple sides like couscous and vegetables.
Careful temperature control prevents curdling of the sauce; if curdling occurs, straining can restore a smooth texture.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs skin on
- 2 chicken breast skin on, small
- olive oil for brushing
- salt fresh cracked
- black pepper fresh cracked
- 4 egg room temperature, large yolks
- 1/2 cup lemon juice strained, fresh squeezed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup black olives I used oil cured
- thyme fresh leaves
Instructions
- Set oven to 400F
- Arrange the chicken pieces in an oiled baking pan and brush liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and bake for about 35 minutes, or until done through. Baste several times during the cooking, and finish under the broiler if you need more color.
- While the chicken is cooking, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Set aside.
- Heat the chicken stock to boiling in a saucepan, and then add about 1/2 cup of the hot stock to the egg yolk mixture, adding it in a slow stream, while whisking. This will get the yolks' temperature up without scrambling them. Then add that back into the pan with the rest of the chicken stock, and heat gently on medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to get silky and thicken. Don't bring it to a boil, or even a simmer. Remove from heat.
- Pour the sauce on the bottom of a casserole bit enough to hold all the chicken. Arrange the cooked chicken on top of the sauce. Scatter the olives and thyme over everything and serve right away.
Notes
- Begin roasting the chicken promptly to keep total cooking time near 40 minutes.
- Frequent basting during baking helps to develop a crisp golden skin and juicy meat.
- Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice before gradually adding hot stock to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Maintain moderate heat when thickening the sauce; avoid boiling to keep it smooth.
- If the sauce slightly curdles, strain it before serving to restore smoothness.
- Serve with quick-cooking couscous and pan-roasted asparagus for a complete meal.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 487 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 487kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 6g | 2% |
| Protein | 47g | 94% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 380mg | 127% |
| Sodium | 575mg | 24% |
| Potassium | 771mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 452IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.2
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