Zesty Lemon Chicken with Olive Salsa

Recipe courtesy of Wholesome by Sarah: Fast Weeknight Dinner Ideas for the Whole Family by Sarah Pound, RRP $49.99, Macmillan

A delicious one-pot wonder, I love anything with lemon and chicken. Here I’ve jazzed up my lemon chicken by adding a fresh, crunchy topping. Delightful!

PREP TIME 30 minutes  |  COOK TIME 2 hours  |  SERVES 4

What you’ll need

• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt flakes
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
• 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
• finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 2 bay leaves

OLIVE SALSA

• 155 g (1 cup) almonds, roughly chopped
• 80 g pitted green olives, chopped
• 1 large handful of parsley, finely chopped
• 1 large handful of oregano, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 2 long green chillies, sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

First things first. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced).

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken thighs and drumsticks in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium–high heat. Add the floured chicken pieces and brown them on all sides. Once browned, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Now to bring it all together. To the same pan, add the onion and cook until it softens and becomes translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly. Add the chicken stock to the pan, along with the lemon zest and juice. Add the bay leaves, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them into the liquid.

Cover the pan with a lid or aluminium foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Let the chicken slow-cook for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.

Meanwhile, prepare the olive salsa. Combine all the ingredients and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

Time to dish up! When the chicken is ready, remove it from the oven and carefully take out the bay leaves. Spoon the olive salsa generously over the chicken pieces and serve.