Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Recipe

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken is a one-pot complete meal ready in under 1 hour! Tender chicken cooks gently with lemon, potatoes, olives, and loads of savory herbs for tons of flavor. Serve it as a healthy meal on busy weeknights, or give it an elegant spin to serve at your next dinner party

Chicken gets an upgrade in this gorgeous lemony Mediterranean chicken recipe. All you need is your favorite Dutch Oven and a little under an hour. Get ready for a delicious Mediterranean-inspired feast that is also gluten-free and low-carb diet friendly.

What to Serve It With?

This Lemon olive chicken recipe is a full meal by itself when served with a glass of white wine. However, you can easily turn it into a feast by pairing it with one of the dishes below:

Green Salad: A simple green salad works with any recipe, but it is especially stellar with this baked Mediterranean chicken. I usually serve it with our Spring Mix Salad, but other green salads like Kale Avocado Salad or Ceasar Salad would also work.

Grain: Keep it wholesome with a side of grains, like Jen Aniston Salad, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, Tabbouleh, or Bulgur Pilaf.

Yogurt: Follow in the footsteps of many of the Mediterranean natives and serve it with a side of yogurt. This Mediterranean chicken bake recipe pairs perfectly with our Greek Yogurt Cucumber Salad or Tzatziki.

Vegetable Sides: As it is with any chicken recipe, this olive chicken lemon recipe pairs perfectly with roasted, grilled, or air-fried veggies. Not to mention an additional serving of veggies makes it a nutrient-dense meal. I like to serve it with roasted vegetable dishes like Roasted Asparagus or Air Fried Eggplant, Eggplant Involtini, or Turkish Braised Green Beans.

Pasta: Make it a complete meal with a bowl of pasta! The zesty and tangy flavors of this healthy lemon chicken recipe pair beautifully with simple pasta dishes like Green Pasta, Garlic Butter Pasta, or Pesto Caprese Pasta. And for a healthier alternative to pasta, serve this chicken dish with our 15-minute zucchini noodles recipe.

This Mediterranean Lemon Chicken is the dictionary definition of a wholesome and visually appealing dinner made in one-pot. Ready in less than an hour, it is the perfect weeknight dinner or weekend feast.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS FOR Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Recipe

2 1/4 pounds bone-in skin on chicken thighs or chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 pound Yukon gold potatoes washed and halved (or quartered, depending on the size)
6 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup large pitted green olives such as Castelvatrano
1 lemon sliced
6-7 sprigs of fresh thyme

INSTRUCTIONS FOR Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Recipe

Prep chicken: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat dry chicken thighs with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper on both sides.

Brown chicken: Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet set over medium heat. Sear the chicken, skin-side down, until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Do your best not to move them so much. Chicken should release once it is properly seared.

Add vegetables and broth: Add in the potatoes and garlic and spread them around the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil.

Add the rest: Add in the olives. Distribute the slices of lemon and thyme evenly over the chicken and potatoes.

Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until chicken is fully cooked and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Serve: Serve immediately alongside your favorite rice, bulgur, quinoa, or salad.

NOTES:

Yield: Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, this recipe yields 5-6 thighs with plenty of potatoes to serve with on the side.

Do not skip the browning of the chicken: While it might come as an extra step, searing the chicken helps build flavor and give the overall dish a deeper and more complex taste. Plus, the leftover little bits of the caramelized meat at the bottom of the pan mixed with potatoes create rich, savory flavors as they bake in the oven.

Plating: When plating, be sure to drizzle the juices over the chicken and potatoes.

Storage: Bring the leftovers to room temperature before storing them. Once cooled, transfer them into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Or, reheat in a skillet on the stove, with plenty of the chicken juices or a splash of water, until warmed through.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Steward’s Braised Chicken with Potatoes, Olives and Lemon recipe with minor changes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: