Chicken and olives is an amazingly tasty combo, give me a loud YUM! An easy sweet and savory chicken dinner for two perfect for a weekend meal. This Mediterranean olive chicken recipe was inspired by Ina Garten’s Chicken Marabella recipe.

Use any leftover olives to make this tasty olive quiche for one. Tasty honey garlic chicken for one and and this single serving Tuscan chicken thighs are full of flavor.

olive chicken and red potatoes on a serving plat — Mediterranean Chicken with Olives and Prunes

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Types of olives to use to make the olive chicken

Spanish Olives used in this recipe is the same as Manzanilla Olives and originally ifrom the Andalusia region of Spain. These green olives have a smoky flavor and pair well with chicken dishes.

Using Prunes in Olive Chicken

Prunes are flavorful and a sweet prune with something spicy like a caper and adding a tangy olive really is incredibly flavorful. If you really don’t want to use Prunes substitute dried Apricots.

Recipe Notes

Mix up the marinade and marinate the chicken overnight, the next day arrange the remaining ingredients and cook. In about an hour, you have a stress-free and elegant dinner. The recipe can be doubled to feed four.

Because of the marinating time required, this is not a last-minute dish. A little planning and a little time make for a flavorful and tender meal.

Cooking with few ingredients means you need to pick the right ingredient combinations to pack a flavor punch. I start with a Greek olive medley, purchased fresh from the supermarkets olive bar, then select organic prunes from the USA and capers from Spain. Cost Plus or Trader Joe’s is a great place to find small jars of capers.

The extra virgin olive oil you use should be of good quality. The wine used in the dish is the same wine I’ll pair with my meal.
If you are more of a white wine person then substitute white for red in the recipe. Whichever wine you use will change the flavor slightly, the wine imparts a delicate flavor present in the wine. No wine, no problem, substitute chicken broth.
Dried Oregano purchased in small quantities ensures it’s always at peak flavor.
I really love garlic, and my recipes that include garlic will reflect that, feel free to cut back.
Check the olive chicken to make sure it’s fully cooked, I use a Thermopro instant-read thermometer.
Leftover potatoes are easily heated up eat in a skillet with a few sauteed onions and served with eggs for breakfast.

Olive Chicken with Prunes and Capers for One

Major flavor with minimal work. Olive, capers, red wine, and prunes make a sweet and savory chicken dish.

4.50 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Marinate Time: 8

Total Time: 9

Servings: servings

Calories: 681kcal

Author:Sydney Dawes

Ingredients

2 chicken quarters
3 tablespoon red wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup of baby potatoes
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

Marinade

4 garlic cloves pressed
¼ cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon oregano
6 pitted Prunes chopped coarsely
12 Spanish olives pitted and cut in half
1 tablespoon capers
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinade Instructions
In a large bowl, mix the garlic, oregano, olive oil, prunes, capers, and olives.
Sprinkle the chicken quarters with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken quarters and mix to coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Cover and refrigerator overnight.
Next Day
Transfer chicken to a deep parchment-lined baking pan.
Spoon the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces and sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the chicken and pour the wine on top.
Bake for about 45 minutes checking after 35 minutes. Continue cooking if necessary until the chicken is fully cooked and has browned nicely.
While chicken is cooking toss the potatoes with the balsamic vinegar and lightly sprinkle with salt, just enough to enhance the flavor
After 20 minutes add baby potatoes to the chicken pan and roast until fully cooked.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter or individual plates and spoon some the pan juices on top of the chicken.

Notes

Choose the Right Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken will stay juicy during the cooking process..

Use a Large Sheet Pan: Use a large enough sheet pan to spread out your ingredients. If they’re too crowded, they’ll steam rather than roast, which could result in soggy chicken and potatoes.

Use a Meat Thermometer: Check the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.

Let the Chicken Rest: Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving, this allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.