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This Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing is a flavorful update to the classic roasted chicken. Herb and garlic-seasoned chicken, roasted with lemons, and served with a tangy and slightly salty olive dressing. This quick-cooking, easy sheet pan dinner comes together in just about an hour. It’s a touch buttery, colorful, healthy, and beyond delicious. Incorporate this into your weekly dinner rotation or serve it up at your next dinner party. Yes, it’s easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough to serve to guests.
Sharing yet another sheet pan dinner today that I’m so very excited about. I hesitated to share this recipe, solely for the fact that I don’t love the photos, but one of my goals for the year is to try and let go of having everything perfect…though in my eyes nothing is ever perfect…ever. The truth is, I can often overthink and over complicate things. And you know what I’m realizing? I just don’t have time for that and I have to stop. So much easier said than done, but I really am going to try.
This is one step in the right direction. Because even though I don’t love the photos of this chicken, I sure do love the recipe. I mean there’s absolutely nothing not to love about buttery roasted chicken with garlic and lemon. There’s even goat cheese, it’s insanely good.
I’ve had the idea for this chicken for a while now, but it took me a few weeks to fully develop the concept. I knew I really wanted to make roasted chicken, And I knew I wanted there to be garlic and roasted lemon. But I also knew I wanted it to feel fresh and new. There are A LOT of roasted chicken recipes out there. And many are very very similar. I didn’t want this to be just like all the others, so the recipe took a while to get right.
But I finally got it right, and I’m finally sharing my go-to chicken dinner. It’s all made simple on one sheet pan. My hope is that this will become a new staple dinner for you all.
Here are the details.
I want you guys to read this closely because while this is a simple recipe, it was a confusing one for me to write out.
Start with the chicken. First, I like to use a mix of chicken thighs and skinless chicken breasts. Most of the people I feed regularly prefer chicken breasts, but I like to toss in a couple boneless, skin-on, chicken thighs for added flavor. Use what you like best…all thighs, all breasts, or a mix.
Find yourself a good sheet pan and toss the chicken together with some olive oil, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, parsley, and oregano.
Now, on that same sheet pan add the lemons (one should be cut in half and the other should be sliced) and a handful of whole garlic cloves. Place pats of butter on each piece of chicken. Roast in the oven until the chicken is fully cooked through and the lemons are charring. It’s important to keep an eye on the lemons and garlic towards the end of cooking to ensure neither is burning. If your lemons or your garlic cloves are on the smaller side, they may cook up faster than the chicken, so just keep an eye on things towards the end.
That’s part one….
The dressing.
this dressing is extra special. Its main two ingredients are the roasted lemon slices and roast garlic. You use not only the lemon juice, but the lemon rind as well. Yes, I’m about to tell you to chop up the WHOLE lemon, rind and all, and add it to your dressing. I know this seems odd, but roasting the lemon removes any bitterness and makes them extra sweet and tangy. Once the lemon is finely chopped and stirred together with olive oil, parsley, oregano, and basil it’s the perfect marriage of flavors. They make for a vibrant, but also incredibly rich dressing.
Next, add the garlic, which adds a subtle, sweet flavor. Then toss in salty olives, for a little bit of a bite.
Finally, a splash of fish sauce…only if you enjoy it. Many recipes will use anchovies in their dressing, but I find anchovies a little annoying to work with. Fish sauce works in a pinch (its only ingredients are anchovies, water, and salt).
Finishing it up…
Once the chicken is finished I simply leave it on the sheet pan, remove the lemons and garlic, finish up the dressing, and add chunks of creamy goat cheese to the warm chicken. The cheese will soften as it sits. It’s the perfect creamy ingredient that compliments all the flavors happening here so well.
Then spoon the dressing over the chicken and cheese, and serve. And that’s it. It’s not hard or even time consuming, but tricky to write out and explain. I hope this has all made sense!
I love serving this with a simple side of rice or creamy orzo pasta. Add a side salad plus crusty bread and dinner is complete. It’s fancy(ish), yet still simple. The chicken is perfectly buttery, herby, and garlicky, and the dressing adds freshness and tang. An all-around great meal and definitely not your average chicken dinner!
If you make this Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 460 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 6 boneless chicken thighs and or breasts, skin on or off (choose similar sizes for even cooking)
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, 2 finely chopped + 4 whole cloves
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 lemons, 1 halved and 1 sliced
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, sliced into 6 pieces
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup green olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces goat cheese broken into chunks
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped oregano, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken. Arrange the lemons and smashed garlic cloves around the chicken. Add 1 slice of butter to each piece of chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast for 35-45 minutes, cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the lemons are charred. Keep an eye on the lemon slices and garlic cloves to ensure they are not burning.3. To make the dressing. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup parsley, 2 tablespoons oregano, the basil, olives, vinegar, and fish sauce, if using. 4. Remove the charred lemon slices and garlic cloves from the baking sheet. Finely chop the lemon slices…rind and all, discarding any of the seeds. Add half of the chopped lemon to the dressing. Finely chop/mash the garlic into a paste, stir the garlic into the dressing. Season with crushed red pepper and salt. Taste adding more of the lemon as desired.5. Serve each piece of chicken with goat cheese and the dressing spooned over top.
Notes
Chicken: you can use thighs or breast, bone in or out. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Bone in chicken will need 10-15 minutes additional cooking time, depending on the size of the chicken.
This post was originally published on January 23, 2020
First time making one if your recipes. Hubby LOVED it. I usually hate chicken thighs ( what we had in hand) but this was delicious! So simple and easy to make on a Monday night.
Thank you so much Elizabeth! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
THIS IS SO GOOD! We made this chicken with spaghetti and it was SO tasty!!! The goat cheese MAKES this! And the red pepper!! Love love love! We omitted the olives because I’m not a fan, and we didn’t have any!
I know I can always go to HBH for everything delicious!! Thanks Tieghan!!!!
Amazing! Thank you for trying this one, Ingrid! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
Wow, love the flavor combo, and it came together so easily! New family favorite, thank you!
Thank you so much Katrin! xTieghan
My family loved this meal…and two of them are not fans of olives! It was delicious and easy to make!
Thank you so much Michelle! xTieghan
I’ve made this twice now and it will likely be my go to chicken thigh recipe. I never have olives on hand and usually not fresh herbs so I replaced with Italian seasoning. The first time i served with your lemon butter pasta and today with the orzo stuffed red peppers. The smell from the oven alone is delicious in itself, the chicken is moist and juicy, and the lemon and garlic top it all off!
Thank you so much Thy! I am really glad this one turned out so well for you! I hope you continue to love my recipes!! xTieghan
We RAVAGED this dish! Sorry – ate too fast to get a photo! We loved the brightness from the lemons and the savory saltiness of the olives. Had to make some minor substitutions based on what was in the fridge/pantry. Had to use dried oregano (gasp!) and feta cheese instead of goat cheese (personal choice). And still – fantastic flavor!
It was a perfect comforting dish during our first snow of the season here in Breck!
That is so amazing to hear! I am really glad you enjoyed this one, Janis! Thank you! xTieghan
This looks so good! I don’t have access to fresh parsley or basil – do you think dried is okay to use? particularly for the dressing
Hey Rae,
Yes dried herbs are totally fine to use! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tieghan, you’ve done it again! This recipe is so yummy and perfect for a quick weeknight meal. I served it with crusty bread and zoodles. It will definitely be a go-to recipe. Thanks!
Thank you so much Nell! I am so happy this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This looks so good, but the pictures shown don’t match up with the recipe. Why are some of the chicken thighs pale as opposed to others are browned?
Hey Carol,
I used chicken thighs and breasts for my photos, the pieces that are darker are from the skin on the chicken. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is so good! Wow! Thank you!
Thank you Stephen!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Tieghan, this was legitimately one of my most favorite dishes I’ve ever cooked. LOVED the herbs and these flavors ??. Kid approved too.
Wow that is so amazing!! Thank you so much Lily! xTieghan
What would you think about the addition of some garden fresh cherry tomatoes to this recipe… I think I’m gonna try it
Hey Rachel,
Sounds like a great idea. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I am making this recipe again tonight for my friends. I am going to introduce them to this blog. It’s amazing! This recipe is super easy to make and looks great when plated. I am putting the chicken thighs over pasta so I am additng extra olive o and artichoke hearts. Yummmy!
Aw that is so sweet to hear! I hope you all love this recipe, Alma Rose!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I tried this delish chicken recipe for the first time last night and was a hit! My husband rant and raved with every bite. This recipe definitely deserves repeating…maybe this 4th of July weekend! I topped it with burrata and it was fantastic. Thank you Tieghan, you are the best! I love your presentation and your photography. Very effective!
Hugs, AR
Thank you so much! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this a week ago and it was amazing! I was literally eating the olive dressing with a spoon, this was my favorite part!! Super easy too! I will definitely make this again!
Thank you Crystal! I am really happy to hear that! xTieghan