YOUR RECIPE FOR CONVECTION COOKING!
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Lemons and Olives
Convection (True Convection) or Convection Roast Mode
Roasting bone-in chicken pieces definitely adds to the flavor of this easy-to-prepare sheet-pan chicken meal. Surprisingly, even the olives seem to taste better cooked with their pits, although if I am serving this for a party, I always use unpitted olives, just to be safe.
Always wanting to make good use of my appliances, I steamed a simple rice and orzo pilaf from Trader Joe's and some asparagus. This meal is perfect for “fast food”: very little prep, fast cooking, and amazingly delicious.
![Convection-Mode lemon chicken with olives and served with rice.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/43d86e_c607aa21c0784f528ff6c0bb351d9a67~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/43d86e_c607aa21c0784f528ff6c0bb351d9a67~mv2.jpg)
INGREDIENTS
4 - whole chicken legs, thigh, and leg separated
1 - tablespoon smoked paprika (I used mild, but use the spicy one if you prefer)
½ - teaspoon mixed Italian seasoning
½ - red onion, cut in ¼” thick slices
2 - small lemons, sliced (the mild flavor of Meyer lemons works well)
½ - cup Castelvetrano or Manzanilla olives
PREPARATION
Heat the oven in the Convection or Convection Roast Mode to 400 degrees.
Start by patting the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Then, place them in a large shallow bowl and season with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Sprinkle the smoked paprika and Italian seasoning over the chicken. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently toss to ensure all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
Add the onion and lemon, then spread them onto a rimmed baking sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, then fold in the olives for the final 10 minutes.