Citrus Chicken with Warm Olives, Roasted the Turkish Way

Written by: Cooks of Heraclea

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients: 21

Turkish citrus chicken: roasted chicken thighs topped with warm Kalamata and Castelvetrano olives, orange segments, and fresh herbs

This is how we roast chicken when we want the table to go quiet. Thighs marinated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and our Mature Harvest olive oil, with kırmızı biber for a low, smoky hum. While they crisp in a hot oven, we warm olives — Kalamata and Castelvetrano — in more olive oil with garlic, orange zest, and pul biber, then let orange segments collapse into the pan. Dill and mint go in off the heat. Spoon the warm citrus and olives over the chicken and serve it straight from the pan. Marinate overnight if you can wait. We rarely can.

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 pounds)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Heraclea Mature Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon Turkish kırmızı biber (smoked paprika) for mild smokiness
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Citrus and Olives

¼ cup Heraclea Mature Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon pul biber
1 orange, segmented and cut in half
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

For the Herb Roasted Chicken

In a bowl, combine chicken thighs, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight for maximum flavor.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Arrange chicken, skin side up, on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast until the thickest part reaches 180°F, about 35 minutes.

For the Warm Olives and Citrus

While the chicken is baking, in a frying pan, combine the olive oil, olives, garlic, orange zest, lemon zest, and pul biber.
Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add the orange segments and lemon juice. Gently stir until the citrus is warmed through and starts to break apart, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in dill and mint, and taste for seasoning. Adjust with salt and lemon juice as needed. Set aside.
Serve the chicken hot, topped with the warm citrus and olive salsa.