// recipe adapted from Pineapple & Coconut

I’ve been on a little cooking kick lately after slacking off for way too long. It feels really good to be back in the kitchen creating meals for myself and as a result, I’ve been spending a lot less money and generally feeling better about my diet. Last week a miraculous thing occurred – I was home from work AND had dinner prepped and in the oven before 6 PM (this never happens and to be honest, it may never again but it was awesome!). And the end product? This delicious oven roasted Lemon Chicken with Artichoke and Olives.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. of bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of basil
• 1/2 tsp. of oregano
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, drained
• red onion, sliced thin (I used about 1/3 of a large onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 lemon, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp. butter, cut into chunks

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Line a casserole dish with some of the lemon slices, onion and garlic
3. Place chicken on top of lemon, onion and garlic – season with salt, basil, pepper and oregano. 
4. Top with artichokes and remaining onion slices, tucking some in between the pieces of chicken in the dish. Top with olives.
5. Pour lemon juice and chicken broth over everything and sprinkle butter pieces on top. 
6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes (cooking times will vary based on the thickness of your chicken – make sure you slice it open or take an internal temperature to determine if it’s cooked through)