Pan Fried Chicken with Lemon and Olive
This is the chicken that my partner’s mum made for us in Italy. It was so delicious and so easy to make, because you just need one pan!
Serves: 4
Cost: Varies by location
Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, broken down into bone-in pieces
500g mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
50g olives
3 garlic cloves, crushed
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary and sage (or other hardy herbs)
½ lemon, sliced
Salt, to taste
A splash of white wine (optional)
A touch of oil for frying
Method
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt.
Heat a large, thick based pan over a medium low heat. Add a touch of oil and place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate very hot pan, cook the quartered mushrooms with a tiny bit of oil and no salt until browned. Set them aside.
Turn the chicken pieces over. Cover again and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Add the fresh herbs, crushed garlic, cooked mushrooms, and olives to the pan with the chicken.
If using, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine evaporate for a minute.
Add the lemon slices and let everything cook together for about 5 more minutes so the flavours combine.
Serve hot, or let it cool and store for later.
Tips
One pan method: To use just one pan, after browning the chicken and setting it aside, cook the mushrooms in the same pan. Then return the chicken to the pan for the final steps.
Customise it: This recipe is very flexible. Add any vegetables you have, such as capsicums or onions, or use different herbs like thyme.
No mushrooms? Simply leave them out or replace with another vegetable.
Make ahead: This dish tastes even better the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Serving suggestion: Delicious with crusty bread, polenta, or mashed potatoes to soak up the juices.
