Meyer Lemon Olive Chicken

Lemons and olives – a perfect match made under the sun! It’s the annual Citrus Festival at Central Market here in Austin, Texas and with so many beautiful types of citrus, it was a bit hard to decide what to make … lemon curd cake, orange scones, lemon drop martinis, tangerine cream cheese tarts, coconut-lime cupcakes? But, we were due for a good lemon-olive chicken dinner and this one is fantastic! 

Chicken marinated with Meyer lemons, garlic, oregano, and olive oil, then baked with shallots, artichoke hearts, capers, thyme, parsley, and green olives. It is hard to describe how delicious this is! You feel like you’re just eating your way through an open-air Mediterranean market! Serve it with rice, roasted potatoes, or hummus. By the way … our roasted shallot hummus recipe is coming soon! 

We have yet to meet an olive we don’t like, and you can use any kind of green olive for this dish, but we especially love Mt. Athos Greek green olives. Look for them at your local grocer. If you can find them, you won’t be disappointed. They have a super buttery taste and rich texture, but Chalkidiki, Cerignola, Castelvetrano, or even manzanilla (Spanish olives) are all great with this dish, and you can use a combination of them. Whatever olives you use, it’s best to make sure they are pitted before you bake them with the chicken. Many of these varieties you can buy already pitted, which is super helpful and makes life so much easier!  

Lemon Olive Chicken Breasts

Chicken marinated with Meyer lemons, garlic, oregano, and olive oil, then baked with shallots, artichoke hearts, capers, thyme, parsley, and green olives. It is hard to describe how delicious this is! You feel like you’re just eating your way through an open-air Mediterranean market! 
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer bone-in breasts or thighs, they are perfectly fine, but just adjust the baking time to reach 165 F on a meat thermometer.
  • 1 cup pitted green olives preferably Mt. Athos, Castelvetrano or, your favorite green olive
  • 2 meyer lemons, thinly sliced
  • 1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
  • 2 shallots peeled and cut into eighths, lengthwise
  • 1 recipe marinade below

Garnishes

  • 1 meyer lemon quartered
  • 4 parsley sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs

Marinade

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp. capers
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme whole sprigs
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all marinade ingredients.
    Place chicken breasts, olives, artichoke hearts, lemon slices, and shallots in an airtight container and pour marinade over all.
    Cover tightly and give it a shake to make sure all ingredients are covered with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
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  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 F.
    Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  • Arrange chicken in a casserole dish and pour the reserved marinade and all of the other ingredients over the chicken.
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  • Bake at 425 F for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken registers 165 F and veggies are turning golden brown. Remove the casserole dish from oven, turn oven to broil, and once hot, place chicken back in under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, just to give the chicken a little color. Remove from oven.
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  • Serve hot with a side of roasted potatoes, wild rice, hummus, or your favorite starch. Garnish each plate with a Meyer lemon wedge and a sprig each of parsley and thyme.
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Course: Main Course
Keyword: easy chicken recipes, lemon olive chicken, quick chicken recipes

Join the Conversation

  1. This looks awesome! Why have you never made this for us?!?!? I can’t wait to try it when we get home!

    1. This chicken dish is so delish, Kate! I will make it for you next time you come to visit us!!!🍋🫒🍋 We even have a Meyer lemon tree!

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