Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, Lemons, and Buttery Almonds
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Sweet caramelized dates, briny olives, and bold preserved lemon turn simple roast chicken into something unforgettable. Roasted until juicy and finished with buttery almonds, this is the kind of cozy, flavor-packed dinner that feels both rustic and elegant.
Have you ever paired chicken with dates? It’s one of those combinations that surprises you in the best way — sweet, salty, and tangy all layered together into something that feels a little bit magical. My family loves this one because every bite hits a different note, yet it all comes together so beautifully.
Dates caramelize in the oven alongside roasted shallots, adding natural sweetness that plays against briny green olives and bold preserved lemon. White wine and Italian seasoning bring a Mediterranean warmth, while skin-on chicken breasts stay juicy and tender as they roast. Finished with butter-toasted sliced almonds for crunch, it’s rustic yet elegant — the kind of cozy, flavor-packed dinner that warms you right to your bones.
What to serve with roast chicken with dates
Roast chicken with dates works as a delicious standalone meal, and already has veggies and proteins in the one dish. If you want something to soak up all those delicious flavors, I love serving it with garlic couscous – it’s what you see in the photo above. You can also never go wrong with some basmati rice.
If you want an extra serving of vegetables, some roasted harissa eggplant on the side complements the flavors. A light crisp salad, like this spring mix salad, tastes great too.
Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, Lemons, and Buttery Almonds
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts (preferably with skin on)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper (divided)
- 1 tablespoon EACH: butter and olive oil
- 6 medium shallots (peeled and halved lengthwise)
- 4 medium carrots (peeled and cut on a bias)
- 12 dates (pitted and halved)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup green olives (pitted and halved)
- 1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup dry white wine (see notes)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Lemon wedges and chopped parsley (to serve)
Buttered Almonds
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.4 medium chicken breasts
- Heat the oil and butter in a large, ovenproof pan (see notes) over medium heat. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan.1 tablespoon EACH: butter and olive oil
- Add the shallots and carrots to the pan and cook until the shallots begin to soften and the carrots have a little color.6 medium shallots, 4 medium carrots
- Mix in the dates, garlic, green olives, preserved lemon, Italian seasoning, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Pour the wine into the pan and reduce it by half, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.12 dates, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ cup dry white wine, ½ cup green olives
- Stir in the chicken stock, then nestle the chicken, skin side up, into the pan and pour in any accumulated juices. Place the pan into the oven uncovered and roast until the chicken is cooked though, about 20 minutes.1 cup chicken stock
- While the chicken is roasting, make the buttered almonds. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring a few times, until golden, about 3 minutes. Let the almonds cool slightly, and then stir in the parsley.2 tablespoons butter, ½ cup sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven, sprinkle it with the buttered almonds, the green olives, some parsley, and add a few lemon wedges.Lemon wedges and chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
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This looks delicious. Given that it has wine in it, do you think it would be ok to make this in a cast iron skillet? Also, would the amount/volume of the ingredients be too much to fit in a 12 inch cast iron skillet? Thanks
That’s the perfect size! The braiser you see in the photos is 12 inches. I’ve used my cast iron skillets (they are all Lodge brand) many times when cooking with acidic ingredients like wine or tomatoes and have never had a problem. Hope that helps!