Sicilian Olive Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN SICILIAN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into pieces. Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add the onion and the cherry peppers. Discard any excess oil. Add the mushrooms, olives, and capers. Add a dash of paprika and 3 to 4 ounces lightly salted butter. Cook on a high flame until the butter is completely melted, mixing to keep the butter from separating.

SPICY SICILIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Put the onions, olives, chiles and bay leaves on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut 1 orange half into wedges and add to the baking sheet.
• Evenly space the chicken thighs, skin-side up, on the baking sheet on top of the other ingredients. Drizzle with the olive oil and squeeze the juice from the remaining orange half on top. Season with salt.
• Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Serve the chicken with the onions, olives, oranges and pan juices.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ESCAROLE AND SICILIAN OLIVES

Steps:

• Trim chicken thighs of excess fat, and dry well on paper towels. Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Place chicken in skillet, skin-side down, and sear until skin is well-browned, about 5 minutes. Turn thighs with tongs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear until second side is golden, about 3 minutes more.
• Pour off fat. Reduce heat to low, add olive oil, and half of the sliced garlic, shallots and the herbs, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add wine and chicken broth, cover, and simmer 7 minutes. Turn chicken, and simmer until meat pulls easily from bone, about 7 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken from skillet to plate. Add remaining garlic, shallots and herbs, olives, escarole and lemon juice to skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high, and cover. Steam escarole until it wilts, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet on top of escarole. Add butter, increase heat to high, and simmer until butter melts and sauce has emulsified slightly. (If sauce appears thin, transfer escarole and chicken to warm platter, then boil sauce until it has reached a pleasing consistency.) Taste to correct seasoning. Serve immediately.

SICILIAN ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
• Arrange chicken pieces in the baking pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano over both sides.
• Roast in the preheated oven until chicken is browned and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

SKILLET CHICKEN AND RICE WITH ANCHOVIES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a 12-inch skillet with a lid, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the thighs in the skillet, skin-side down. Cook, undisturbed, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and the chicken releases easily from the pan. You may need to raise the heat slightly during the last few minutes if the skin isn't browned enough.
• Flip the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes on the other side, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Discard all but about 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add the diced fennel, onion and oregano, and cook over medium for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add the anchovies, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until it begins to caramelize and turn rusty brown in color. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
• Add the rice, olives and raisins to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, orange juice and a few grinds of black pepper, and bring to a simmer.
• Place the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up, nestling them into the liquid so only the skin is above the surface. Cut the orange slices into half-moons and arrange them around the chicken. Drizzle the orange slices with olive oil.
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. (If you'd like to crisp the chicken skin, pop the pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.)
• Top with fennel fronds, more red-pepper flakes and a sprinkle of salt. Serve hot.

SICILIAN GRILL-ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For Mediterranean drizzle:
• garlic and 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt in mortar with pestle or in small bowl with back of spoon until paste forms. Whisk in lemon juice, then oil. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• For chicken:
• Whisk lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Place 1 whole chicken in each of 2 resealable plastic bags. Divide lemon marinade between bags. Seal bags, releasing excess air. Turn to coat chicken with marinade. Chill chicken at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally.
• Prepare barbecue ( medium heat). If using 2-burner gas grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner gas grill, do not light center burner. If using charcoal grill, light briquettes in chimney and pour onto 1 side of lower grill rack (you'll need to light more briquettes in chimney to replenish during grilling). Remove chickens from marinade.
• Sprinkle chickens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together. Place chickens, breast side down, over unlit side of grill. Cover and grill chickens 45 minutes, adjusting gas levels if using gas grill or adjusting vents and adding more charcoal as needed if using charcoal grill to maintain barbecue temperature between 350°F and 400°F. Turn chickens breast side up. Cover and grill until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F., continuing to maintain barbecue temperature between 350°F and 400°F, about 35 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to work surface; let rest 10 minutes.
• Carve chickens and transfer to platter. Arrange Grilled Lemons, Baby Artichokes, and Eggplant around chickens. Spoon some of Mediterranean drizzle over chicken and vegetables. Garnish with grilled lemons for squeezing over.