Greek Chicken Thighs with Olives and Lemon Recipe
This Greek Chicken Thighs with Olives and Lemon recipe brings together juicy, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs seared to golden perfection and then baked with aromatic garlic, pearl onions, fresh thyme, kalamata olives, and bright lemon. The combination of flavors creates a savory, tangy dish that’s perfect for an easy yet impressive weeknight or weekend meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone-in)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Cooking Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 8 ounces pearl onions (peeled)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 lemons (cut into thirds)
- 1 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the chicken thighs after searing.
- Season Chicken: Generously season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper to enhance their flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage. Remove from skillet and set aside briefly.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add garlic cloves, pearl onions, thyme sprigs, and lemon pieces. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the onions and garlic start to soften and develop slight browning.
- Add Olives and Liquids: Stir in kalamata olives followed by the dry white wine and fresh lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet to infuse flavor.
- Bake Chicken: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, placing them skin side up and ensuring they sit directly on the skillet bottom. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide the best flavor and juiciness for this recipe.
- If you don’t have pearl onions, use finely chopped yellow onions as a substitute.
- For a non-alcoholic alternative, substitute white wine with chicken broth and add a splash of white wine vinegar for acidity.
- To ensure even cooking, use an oven-safe skillet for stovetop searing and baking.
- Let the cooked chicken rest a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
Keywords: Greek chicken, chicken thighs, kalamata olives, lemon chicken, baked chicken, Mediterranean recipe, easy dinner, garlic chicken