SHEET PAN CHICKEN WITH LEMON

AND OLIVES
Serves 6

Sheet pan dinners have become extremely popular and I think they’re great. The idea for this
recipe came from one of my favorite dishes, Moroccan chicken tagine with lemon and olives.
I started making this dish on a baking sheet because my tagine (the cooking pot) only has
enough room for 3 or 4 servings but also because I love the way it looks when I serve it right on
the sheet pan. I like to make it with chicken legs (thighs, or thighs and drumsticks), which have
always been a chef favorite, as they have more flavor than chicken breasts and stay juicy and
delicious even if overcooked. If you do use chicken breasts, use bone-in and skin-on to help
them stay juicy, and be careful not to overcook them (use an instant-read thermometer and
cook to 165°F). Serve with rice, couscous, or freekeh.

3 lb chicken pieces (12 chicken 1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, along with the onions,
thighs or 6 whole legs) garlic, fennel, lemons, cilantro, olives, preserved lemon peel, olive
2 onions, quartered oil, honey, salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Toss well
1 head garlic, halved to mix. Marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours if you have
horizontally time, or cook right away.
1 bulb fennel, trimmed,
halved, and cut into thick 2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the chicken pieces in a
wedges single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in
1 lemon, thinly sliced (or 2 if a large baking dish or shallow Dutch oven, skin side up. Spoon the
you don’t have preserved
lemons)
fennel-lemon mixture over and around the chicken. Cover with
aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes.
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh
cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
+ more for serving 3. Uncover and roast for another 30 minutes. If the chicken hasn’t
browned yet, increase the oven temperature to 425°F and cook for
1/2 cup large green olives,
pitted by gently smashing or 10 minutes longer or until the chicken and vegetables are nicely
tearing apart browned.
1/4 cup sliced preserved lemon
peel (see page 16) 4. Serve topped with the cooked lemon slices and olives, and the
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil fresh cilantro.
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric

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