Baked lemon-paprika chicken with green olives

This one tray baked chicken with Grumpy Grandma’s green olives is a vibrant and aromatic dish that brings Mediterranean flavours to your table with minimal effort.

The combination of juicy chicken thighs marinated in Australian olive oil, zesty lemon, fresh thyme, and smoky paprika creates a deeply flavourful base, while the addition of Grumpy Grandma's green olives adds a briny contrast that perfectly balances the dish.

Roasted alongside whole garlic heads and thin lemon slices, this dish not only looks beautiful but fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. It's easy enough for a weeknight meal but impressive enough for entertaining, especially when paired with fluffy couscous to soak up all the delicious juices.

Baked lemon-paprika chicken with green olives recipe

Ingredients 

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh cutlets

1 lemon, sliced thinly

2 whole heads garlic, washed and halved cross-wise

16 Grumpy Grandma's green olives 

Marinade

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Grated rind of 1 lemon

45ml lemon juice

2 (preferably fresh) bay leaves

1tbs chopped thyme leaves

3/4tbs smoked paprika

Salt/Pepper

 Method

Combine marinade ingredients well in a large non-metallic bowl then toss through chicken, lemon slices and garlic.

Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 5 hours and ideally overnight, occasionally massaging marinade into the contents of the bowl.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 190C. In a large baking tray arrange chicken skin-side up, tuck in garlic halves and lemon slices and roast for about 40 mins or until chicken is cooked through. 

Add olives 5 minutes before removing. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with couscous.