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Pistachio Olive Jammy Leek Chicken
Golden, crisp-skinned chicken over jammy leeks with a bright green olive and pistachio salsa. A low-stress centrepiece that still looks special.
Serves
4 to 5
Prep
20 mins
Cook
1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients
Chicken
• 6 skin-on chicken thighs
• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 3 leeks, trimmed, split lengthways and rinsed
• 2 lemons, sliced
Green olive pistachio sauce
• 150 g Castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 60 g roasted pistachios, chopped
• 30 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper
Method
1. Heat the oven to 220 C. Pat the chicken dry, then rub with olive oil, salt, pepper and turmeric.
2. Lay the leeks and lemon slices in a deep baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Nestle the chicken thighs on top.
3. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 165 C and roast for about 1 hour, until the chicken is deep golden and the juices run clear.
4. Meanwhile, stir together the olives, pistachios, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, flaky sea salt and black pepper.
5. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes. Arrange the leeks on a serving plate, top with the chicken, spoon over the pan juices and finish with the olive pistachio sauce.
Good For You Note
Leeks are rich in prebiotic fibres such as inulin, which help feed beneficial gut bacteria. Olives and pistachios add polyphenols and monounsaturated fats, while lemon brings vitamin C and chicken offers protein and B vitamins.