Lemon and Olive Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Chicken thighs (Approximately 1.2 kg, skin retained)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (Extra virgin oil, full of flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Fine salt)
• ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper (Freshly ground preferably)
• 3 cloves Garlic cloves (Peeled and crushed with the flat side of a knife)
• 1 medium Onion (Finely sliced)
• 2 cm Fresh ginger (Peeled and cut into julienne)
• 1 large Lemon (Blanched twice to remove bitterness, then cut into quarters)
• 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour (To slightly thicken the sauce)
• 500 ml Water or chicken stock (Chicken stock adds more depth)
• 100 g Pitted green olives (Added at the end of cooking)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh coriander (Coarsely chopped, added at the end)

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

   Remove any stray feathers, separate the thighs, trim excess skin and detach the meat from the bone by gently pressing with a thick knife.

   Time: PT15M

2. Prepare the aromatics

   Peel the garlic cloves and crush them, slice the onion, peel the ginger and cut into julienne.

   Time: PT10M

3. Season the chicken

   Sprinkle the thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.

   Time: PT2M

4. Sear the chicken

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the sauté pan over medium‑high heat. Place the thighs skin‑side down, let brown for 5 min, then flip and sear the other side for 5 min until golden.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 190°C

5. Sweat the aromatics

   Remove the chicken, add the garlic, onion and ginger to the same sauté pan and sweat over medium heat without browning.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Blanch the lemon

   Cut the lemon into quarters, plunge into boiling water for 30 s, then immediately transfer to cold water. Repeat a second time to eliminate bitterness.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

7. Thicken the sauce

   Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the aromatics, stir quickly to form a light roux.

   Time: PT2M

8. Final cooking of the chicken

   Return the thighs to the sauté pan, add 500 ml of water or chicken stock, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 45 min until the meat is tender.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: 95°C

9. Finishing

   Add the green olives and chopped coriander 5 minutes before the end of cooking, let warm without further cooking.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 95°C

10. Serving

    Place the thighs on a platter, drizzle with olive and lemon sauce, serve hot with rice or a green salad.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

10 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g