Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives or "Loo Chicken"

Rayme chicken is my favorite. Ray has a way with simple chicken. Toss in an onion, a bit of garlic, simmer some white wine, reduce the whole thing & Ray comes out of the kitchen with the most beautifully understated chicken breasts. It's his food calling card, if you will. Well, that and gravy, the man makes a mean gravy. His go to chicken dish always impressed me & I've been hunting for my own ever since his hit out table. Something easy, light, relatively quick & with a bright, robust flavor. So, Rayme chicken, meet Loo (as in "Laura-Loo," my childhood pet name) chicken.

Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives or Loo Chicken, for 6*
adapted from Real Simple
1 lemon
2 pints grape tomatoes1 head garlic, cloves separated & peeled
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small loaf country bread, warmed (optional)

Heat oven to 425° F. Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of zest from the lemon. (Reserve the lemon.) In a large roasting pan, toss the tomatoes, garlic, olives, thyme & lemon zest with 1 tbsp. of the oil. Nestle the chicken, skin-side up, among the vegetables & drizzle with the remaining tbsp. of oil. Season the chicken and vegetables with ¾ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper.

Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the hot roasting pan. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the roasting pan & add the wine. Gently stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Serve the chicken & vegetables with the pan juices and bread (if using).

*For fewer diners, just use chicken legs (thigh & drumstick) & cut the rest of the ingredients in half.

One year ago: Seared NY Strips with David's Zucchini & Potato Fondantes with Rosemary Beurre Blanc