Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Green Olive Salsa

This scrumptious Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Green Olive Salsa is simple enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for entertaining. 

I have a simple but elegant sheet-pan dinner for you today. Chicken legs roast in a hot oven over a bed of leeks and potatoes coming out crispy, golden and fall-apart tender. A flavourful briny salsa made with crushed green olives, garlic, shallots, vinegar, lemon zest, and a scattering of fresh parsley and cilantro, is drizzled over the warm chicken elevating this simple weeknight dish to dinner-party fare.

This easy sheet pan meal has become one of my all-time favourites. And now that the nights are cool enough to warrant blasting the oven, I plan on making this tasty, cozy dish on repeat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The recipe is adapted from Leah Koenig, via Food and Wine. She dresses the roasted chicken, leeks and potatoes with a pine nut gremolata which I have made and is outstanding. But I am even more obsessed with this green olive salsa which I could honestly spoon over just about anything.

For this recipe, I season the chicken, leeks and potatoes with just salt and pepper which more often than not, is all roasted chicken needs to be delicious. Olive oil is drizzled overtop to encourage a nice golden colour and crispy skin. The potatoes and leek impart flavour to the chicken and in turn the chicken juices flavour the potatoes and leeks.

Left undressed, the dish is absolutely flavourful enough to serve as is, straight out of the oven. However, while the chicken roasts I encourage you to make the green olive salsa — it perks everything up, adding wonderful brightness and freshness.

Aside from being a very delicious dish that requires minimal effort, here are a few more reasons to love this recipe:

• It’s a true sheet pan meal; Veggies and protein all cook in one pan.
• Topped with the olive salsa this dish is full of briny, salty flavours.
• Leftovers are excellent for lunch the next day.  
• Easy prep and a good-for-you meal.
• Flexible! If you don’t like olives, for example, you could omit them in which case you will be making a version of gremolata — also delicious!

Ingredients And Notes

Sheet Pan Chicken

• Chicken – For the crispiest skin and most flavourful meat, I like to roast bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs (with the thigh and drumstick attached). But you can also use thighs and/or drumsticks which will cook faster. Chicken breast will work but if going this route, make sure to give the potatoes some advanced cooking time before adding the breast.
• Potatoes – I like to use baby Yukon Gold potatoes which become soft and creamy when roasted. Red or white potatoes will also work, as will regular-sized potatoes. No matter which potatoes you use, you will have to cut them into 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same time as the chicken.
• Leeks – Here the leeks are left in large chunks and treated as a second veggie, as opposed to an aromatic. As they cook, they turn soft and plush with some crispy spots around the edges. So good! You can find beautiful leeks right now at the grocery stores and supermarkets.
• Olive oil – For drizzling over the chicken and veggies.
• Salt and pepper – Be generous. Not enough seasoning and the chicken and potatoes will be bland.

Green Olive Salsa Verde

• Green olives – Castelvetrano olives are my favourite green olives. Costco sells a delicious brand of these olives at a great price, plus they are organic. You will have to pit them which is a little more work but store-bought pitted olives are never quite as good. That said, if pressed for time, go for already pitted olives.
• Garlic – Biting into raw garlic pieces is not very pleasant so make sure to grate the garlic or mince it then make a paste by pressing on it with the side of a large knife.
• Olive oil – A nice one that you save for dressings would be good to use here.
• Italian parsley – Fresh chopped parsley gives the sauce a bright flavourful boost. You will want to use the leaves only but a few very fine stems is ok.
• Cilantro – You can use all parsley, but I really like the mix. Ditto for using leaves only.
• Shallot – Or use green onions.
• Lemon zest – Adds bright, citrusy flavour.
• Vinegar – Use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
• Salt and pepper – Just a pinch of each for seasoning.

How To Make Sheet Pan Chicken And Potatoes With Green Olive Salsa

You can prep the chicken, potatoes and leek up to 2 hours in advance but don’t mix the green olive salsa ingredients until just before serving, so its bright, fresh flavours remain vibrant.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and place a rack 10 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine potatoes and leeks with oil; season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread in an even layer. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of the vegetables, skin side up. Drizzle chicken with olive oil.
2. Roast until vegetables are tender and chicken is golden, 45 to 50 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F. The time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces. For crispier chicken, broil for 3-5 minutes.
3. While the chicken is roasting, make the green olive salsa. Use the flat edge of a large knife to gently smash the olives one at a time and remove the pits. Place the pitted olives in a small bowl and toss them with the rest of the salsa ingredients. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
4. Once chicken and vegetables are crispy and golden, remove sheet pan from oven. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a large platter and immediately spoon olive mixture over the chicken.
5. Serve warm alongside any remaining salsa for extra sprinkling.

How Long Does It Take To Roast Chicken Quarters

Bone-in, skin on chicken quarters (also known as chicken legs) will take at least 45 minutes to cook in a high-temperature oven. I prefer to leave them in a little longer—a total of 50-55 minutes—to ensure the meat is truly fall-off-the-bone.

As always, the roasting time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and how hot your oven runs. An instant read thermometer, inserted in the thickest part of the meat, will guarantee the chicken is properly cooked when it registers 165º.

How To Properly Clean Whole Leeks

Leeks come with sand and dirt being lodged deep inside so they must be cleaned before using. The easiest way to clean them is by cutting off the root and the thick, dark green tops then slicing the leek in half lengthwise. Run each half under cold running water until all dirt is washed off then chop crosswise into half moons.

The problem is, half-moon leeks come apart when cooked and would definitely burn in a high temperature oven. So for this recipe, we are leaving the leeks whole so we can cut them crosswise into bigger chunks. This makes it trickier to clean the leeks but it can be done. Here is what you do:

1. Cut off the root end of the leek and the dark green tops.
2. Remove any outer layers that seem papery and/or very dirty. Rinse well under cold running water.
3. If you are still seeing dirt in the leeks once you cut them crosswise, place the cut pieces in a bowl of water. Being careful not to let the pieces come apart, use your hands to gently agitate the leeks and dislodge any dirt or sand that may be clinging to them.

Storing Suggestions

Allow the chicken and vegetables to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. Leftovers will keep 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

Reheat in a preheated 350ºF oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

More Chicken Recipes To Try

• Chicken Milanese
• Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
• Sheet Pan CHicken Fajitas
• Chicken and Chickpea Shawarma
• Chicken Cacciatore

If  you give this Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Green Olive Salsa recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!

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Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Green Olive Salsa

Author: Sandra Valvassori

This scrumptious Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Green Olive Salsa is simple enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for entertaining. 

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 to 5

Ingredients  

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• 1 ½ pounds Baby Yukon Gold potatoes halved or quartered
• 3 medium leeks white and light green parts rinsed well and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces (about 4 cups) *see post on how to clean leeks
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 4-5 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (about 3-4 pounds)

Green Olive Salsa

• 1 cup castelvetrano olives
• 1 garlic clove grated or finely minced into a paste
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (or use all parsley)
• 1/2 small shallot, finely diced or 3 green onions
• 3 tablespoons brine liquid from the olives
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 425°F and place a rack 10 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine potatoes and leeks with 2 tablespoons oil; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to taste. Toss to coat, then spread in an even layer. 
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of the vegetables, skin side up. Drizzle chicken with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Roast until vegetables are tender and chicken is golden, 45 to 55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F. The time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces. For crispier chicken, broil for 3-5 minutes before removing from oven.
• While the chicken is roasting, make the green olive salsa. Use the flat edge of a large knife to gently smash the olives one at a time and remove the pits. Give them a rough chop and place in a medium bowl. Toss the pitted olives with the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, cilantro, shallot (or green onion), olive brine, vinegar and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Once chicken and vegetables are crispy and golden, remove sheet pan from oven. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a large platter and immediately spoon olive mixture over the chicken.
• Serve warm alongside any remaining salsa for extra sprinkling.

Notes

• Pat vegetables and chicken dry. Use a tea towel or paper towels to remove any excess moisture which could cause everything to steam. The drier everything is, the crippler it will get in the oven.
• Use smaller chicken pieces for faster roasting time. Chicken quarters are really juicy and tender but they will take up to 20 minutes longer to cook than chicken thighs or drumsticks. If pressed for time, use smaller chicken pieces.
• Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. As always, all meat benefits from a resting period to allow the juices to redistribute.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you want to make a larger batch, spread everything out in two pans rather than crowding them in one. Otherwise the chicken and vegetables will steam rather than crisp

STORING SUGGESTIONS

• Allow the chicken and vegetables cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. Leftovers will keep 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
• Reheat in a preheated 350ºF oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Keywords: Chicken quarters, Chicken legs, Sheet pan chicken and potatoes, Roasted whole chicken legs,Oven roasted chciken legs

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