Chicken with Lemon and Olives | Favorite Boneless Chicken Recipes

It’s citrus season in warmer parts of the country, just in time for the thick of winter, when we’re craving a little sunshine. Today, I’m sharing one one of my favorite boneless chicken recipes. This quick weeknight braise pairs boneless, skinless chicken thighs—which have abundant flavor and never seem to dry out—with lemon, olives, golden raisins, and garlic. All the ingredients can be found in any supermarket, but the flavors will remind you of sunny Mediterranean days. It’s a bright, warming dinner, which tastes even better the next day.

Braised Chicken with Lemon and Olives

Total Time: 55 minutes Hands-On Time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings Note: Look for whole or pitted green olives packed in brine, not vinegar. Castelvetrano are a popular variety, as are Cerignola. If you can’t find green ones, use Kalamata or other black varieties. Just be sure they’re brined, not pickled. The best way to pit olives is to put each one on a cutting board and lay the flat side of a chef’s knife (or a metal pastry scraper) against it (sharp edge down). Hit the flat of the blade with the heel of your hand (avoiding the sharp edge) and the olive will split into two pieces.

• 1 lemon cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 25 green olives, pitted and halved (see Note)
• 8 whole garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vermouth (optional but recommended)
• Garnish: Fried lemon slices

Instructions

Choose 8 of the nicest lemon slices and set aside. Set a 5- to 7-quart heavy-bottomed pot on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, lay the lemon slices in the oil in a single layer until nicely browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. Remove and transfer lemon slices to a paper towel to drain, reserving all the oil in the pot.In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken generously in the flour mixture and cook  in 2 batches (4 in the first batch, 2 in the second). You want to brown the chicken on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the first batch of cooked chicken to a plate. As soon as you add the second batch of chicken to the pot toss in the olives, garlic, and oregano and let them cook, stirring occasionally, along with the chicken. Return all the chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock, raisins, and vermouth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 25 minutes. Halfway through cooking, set lid just slightly ajar to let sauce reduce some.  Taste the sauce and add salt as desired. Serve over couscous or rice, garnishing each portion with the fried lemon slices. For a thicker sauce, you can remove the chicken from the pot when it’s finished and reduce the liquid over high heat until it reaches your desired consistency.

MORE BONELESS CHICKEN RECIPES:

Boneless Breast of Chicken with HerbsEasy Chicken PiccataPerfect Fried ChickenDad’s Chicken and Rice