Enjoy a taste of Morocco in less than an hour
Roast chicken with garlic, olives and lemon is definitely a Moroccan specialty. But here you don’t need a traditional tagine (a special clay roasting pot with a conical top) to achieve tasty results.
Putting this dish together is a snap, as many stores now sell peeled garlic cloves. Garlic cloves become deliciously caramelized and act as a thickening agent in this recipe, a personal favorite of mine. And don’t be afraid of the number of garlic cloves. They add a wonderful nutty richness to the sauce.
As for the chicken, there are so many varieties available. Look for air-chilled chickens, which are firmer and tastier than water-chilled chickens, which add extra water to the bird but offer less flavor. Kosher chickens are also good because they are salted, which helps keep them moist, but be mindful of the extra salt in the chicken.
Of course, organic chickens are always delicious because the birds are fed organic food and given no antibiotics. Try different varieties of chicken to discover your personal favorite.
Cook the chicken in a shallow roasting pan that can be brought to the table for a casual presentation. Use a microplaner to grate the lemon zest before squeezing the juice. You’ll find that lemon slices add an extra citrus flavor. If you can find Meyer lemons, use them in this dish. Serve with roasted vegetables or a vegetable-rice pilaf for a hearty and satisfying dinner. A full-bodied California Chardonnay would be nice with the chicken, as would an Australian Sauvignon Blanc.
TASTY TIPS • The lemon-herb mixture can be made 4 hours ahead, covered and kept at room temperature.
• Double the recipe, and use for a chicken salad the next day.
• Look for green pitted olives, and make sure to rinse them before adding them to the sauce.
• Add black and green olives for a contrast of color.
ROAST HERBED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED GARLIC, LEMON AND OLIVES
Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (any combination of rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil and oregano)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds),
cut up 25 peeled whole garlic cloves, ends
cut off 1 lemon, thinly sliced 3/4 cup chicken stock 1/3 cup pitted green olives
Directions:
Combine the zest, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/4 cup herbs and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting pan, skin side up, and pour the lemon herb mixture over the chicken.
Arrange the garlic cloves and lemon slices all around the chicken, moving them to be coated with the mixture. Roast for about 40 minutes or until the chicken pieces are nicely browned and no pink color remains.
Remove the pan from the oven. Using potholders, place the pan on
top of the stove on medium-high heat, add the stock and deglaze the pan by scraping up any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on the olives, and toss them around to heat through. Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons of herbs, and serve right from the pan.