Here is a recipe for an easy, affordable weeknight dinner using chicken quarters that your family will be sure to enjoy! Just bake in the oven!

What’s not to love about an easy, sheet-pan meal? Place all your ingredients onto a baking sheet, toss it into the oven, and voila, a delicious dinner is prepared with minimal cleanup. I know that’s my kind of weeknight dinner!

This meal consists of pretty simple ingredients and as a bonus, requires only a little bit of prep. I typically use chicken quarters for this meal because they remain juicy and are quite often a good price at the grocery store. They can easily be substituted with chicken breasts or any combination of bone-in or boneless chicken. Just keep it mind that the cooking time may vary if you are using boneless chicken breasts.

With only a few other ingredients, this recipe makes for an affordable family meal. While it is roasting away in the oven, I’ll prepare a side to go with it. We’ve made everything from side salads, couscous, quinoa, rice, and orzo. Mashed or roasted potatoes would also be delicious.

So if you’re looking for an easy meal to throw together after a long day at work, look no further. As it’s roasting away in the oven, the delicious smells coming from oven will have your family positively asking “What’s for dinner?”

Let’s get down to it!

Roasted Chicken With Green Olives and Lemons

Chicken Quarters with Lemons & Olives Ingredients

Olive Oil – I always have a large bottle of extra virgin olive oil in my pantry. Find one that is reasonably priced for your budget. You certainly don’t need the high-end stuff for this recipe, though quality is important. When picking out a bottle of olive oil, look for one that is stored in a dark bottle. Also, store it in a part of your kitchen where it is not exposed to additional heat, as that can quickly deteriorate the quality of it. To help with savings, I always check the unit price and keep an eye for sales, as it’s an item that I know I use a lot.

Chicken Quarters – Chicken quarters consist of both the chicken thigh and drumstick as one piece. They are typically sold with the skin left on. If you’d prefer, you can remove the skin prior to roasting, though the skin tastes fantastic once it is browned and crispy! Chicke quarters retain strong flavour and juiciness when roasted, making them ideal for this recipe. You’ll want to cook them until they reach an internal cooking temperature of 175°F.

Salt & Black Pepper – the measured amounts for Kosher salt and ground pepper are guidelines. As always, feel free to season as desired!

Paprika – Paprika is a colourful spice made from ground red peppers. You can use either sweet paprika or smoked paprika in this recipe.

Lemons – lemon wedges/slices and roast chicken always seems to go hand-in-hand. Add it with the sweetness of the roasted onions and the saltiness of the green olives, and you’ve got a winning combination!

Onions – Regular yellow onions are great in this recipe. Large white onions would also be great, as they are slightly sweeter. I cut each onion in half, then into quarters. As they roast in the oven, they become even sweeter. Absolutely delicious!

Olives – Green olives are ideal in this dish – just not the little ones with pimentos. I usually keep a jar on hand of the large green ones that are stuffed with garlic. (once you’ve quartered these, I don’t find that the garlic greatly impacts the overall taste). Ideally, I use the large green ones found in the deli section that have been pitted and marinated. If you want to limit the saltiness, you could give them a rinse and pat them dry before adding them onto the sheet pan.

Butter – Ideally, unsalted butter is preferred in this recipe. However, if you only have salted butter in the house, either is fine in this recipe. If you are using salted butter, then I recommend rinsing and drying the olives to reduce the overall saltiness of the dish.

Chicken Quarters with Lemons & Olives Tools & Tips

Below are some kitchen tools that although they may not be required, are certainly great to have in the kitchen.

Baking Sheets – I use a large baking sheet to accommodate all of the chicken pieces used in this recipe. I line it with aluminum foil to help with an easy cleanup. You’ll want to use baking sheets that are big enough so that the chicken, lemons, and olives can be spread over a single layer to optimize the “roasting”.

Measuring cups and spoons – this recipe uses standard measuring tools. You will also want a liquid measuring cup for the stock.

Meat Thermometer – if you don’t have a meat thermometer in your kitchen, I strongly recommend getting one! It takes all of the guess work out of determining whether or not the meat is safe to eat, as our eyes are just not that reliable! There are simple ones and complicated ones on the market. I suggest reading the reviews and find one that suits your price point. It is one tool that you won’t regret!

Fat Separator (optional) – For this recipe, the chicken quarters will release some fat and juices, though not like as if you were roasting a turkey. These tools are handy to have, though not absolutely necessary. Sometimes, just using a simple spoon is sufficient enough!

In addition you will also need a spatula or tongs, a chef’s knife and a chopping board.

Chicken Quarters with Cous Cous