Name: Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herbes de Provence and Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 each lemons; 4 each garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence; 2 teaspoons Kosher salt; As Needed black pepper; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 1/2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and legs (about 4 legs and 4 thighs); 1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes (halved lengthwise, or quartered if large); 4 each medium shallots, (roughly chopped); 12 each pitted Castelvetrano olives, (halved); 1/4 cup chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

Get to know the ingredients

Use both lemons at the start, then one for serving

Zest both lemons into the marinade. One of those lemons is saved for squeezing over the finished pan, while the other is reserved for another use.

Bone-in chicken is the plan here

The recipe is built around bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs. A cut-up whole chicken can work too, but the breast pieces should be cut in half crosswise so everything cooks more evenly.

About those Castelvetrano olives

Castelvetrano olives are often sold with pits. Press each olive firmly with the flat side of a chef's knife until it splits, then pull out the pit with your fingers before halving.

Let’s make it

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Servings

Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.

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How to make it

0 of 6 steps complete

Make the Herbes de Provence marinade. Use a rasp-style zester or grater to finely zest both of the lemons and grate the garlic. Set aside one of the lemons for serving, and reserve the remaining lemon for another use. Place the lemon zest and garlic in a large bowl and mix with the Herbes de Provence, salt, a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, and the olive oil. Stir with a fork to combine.
Marinate the chicken and potatoes. Add chicken and potatoes to the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, toss the chicken and potatoes until they are fully coated with the seasoning mix. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinate, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours.
Get ready. Heat oven to 425°F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Arrange the chicken and potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, and turn the potatoes cut-side down (this will help them brown).
Roast chicken and potatoes. Place the sheet pan on the top rack of the oven and roast until chicken and potatoes are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
Add shallots and olives. Scatter the shallots and olives around the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. This should be plenty of time for the chicken to cook through fully, but if you have any doubt, the internal temperature of the thighs and legs should register at 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Finish and serve. Remove the pan from the oven and squeeze the juice from one lemon over the chicken and potatoes. Scatter with chopped parsley and tarragon. To serve, transfer the chicken and potatoes to a large family-style serving dish, or divide among dinner plates.

Make room for Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herbes de Provence and Olives

Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.

The last little job

Once the pan comes out, squeeze over the saved lemon and scatter on the parsley and tarragon. That fresh finish is added after roasting, so don't tuck the herbs into the oven earlier.

A little more help as you go

Use the top third of the oven

The pan roasts on a rack in the top third of a hot oven. Give the chicken and potatoes enough room on the baking sheet so they sit in a single layer.

Check the chicken if you're unsure

The second roast should cook the chicken through, but the clearest check is temperature. The thighs and legs should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

A few questions you might have

Do I need to juice both lemons?

No. Both lemons are zested for the marinade, but only one lemon is squeezed over the finished chicken and potatoes. The other lemon is set aside for another use.

Can the chicken marinate longer than 30 minutes?

Yes. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover the bowl and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours before arranging everything on the sheet pan.

Why are the potatoes halved or quartered?

The potatoes need flat cut sides so they can sit against the baking sheet and brown. Halve them lengthwise, or quarter them if they're large.

When do the shallots go on the pan?

Add the roughly chopped shallots after the first 20-minute roast, along with the olives. They roast during the final stretch, while the chicken finishes browning.

How do I know the chicken is fully cooked?

After the final roast, the chicken should be nicely browned. If you're not sure, check the thighs and legs with an instant-read thermometer. They should register 165°F.

Any more cooking tips?

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and olives used in this recipe. To use a whole chicken instead: You can swap a whole, cut-up chicken for the chicken thighs and legs. To ensure the chicken cooks through evenly, cut the two breast pieces in half crosswise. How to pit olives: Castelvetrano olives are usually sold whole. To remove the pits, press on each olive firmly with the flat side of a large chef’s knife until they flatten and split. At this point, the pit can be easily removed with your fingers.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herbes de Provence and Olives

1. Let the marinade sit on the chicken

2. Turn the potatoes cut-side down

3. Add the olives later