Paprika Chicken with Olive Walnut Vinaigrette

For a modern take on roasted chicken, try this paprika chicken with olive walnut vinaigrette. The juicy golden chicken is flavored with warm spices and served with a briny herb dressing and parmesan roasted potatoes for a complete meal.

Watch how to make this:

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paprika chicken with olive walnut vinaigrette. find recipe link in bio. #easyrecipe #recipesforyou #chickendinner #roastedchicken #dinnerideas

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Jump to:

• The Inspiration
• The Ingredients
• How to Make Paprika Chicken with Walnut Vinaigrette
• FAQs

The Inspiration

As much as I enjoy steak, I try to limit how much red meat I eat during the week. I love vegetarian meals but since my husband can't go full vegetarian, we stick to chicken and seafood. Chicken is great and all but it can get boring. I'm constantly searching for new chicken recipes, trying to make the meals as exciting as possible. The latest creation is this roasted paprika chicken with olive walnut vinaigrette. It takes basic roasted chicken and adds spices and a fresh and tangy olive walnut dressing for a dinner that's anything but boring.

Fortunately, this dish is a fairly simple meal to prepare. Marinate the chicken, roast it, and make a sauce. The garlic parmesan roasted potatoes are optional but go perfectly with the chicken. Make a big batch and enjoy this meal throughout the week for a delicious weeknight dinner.

The Ingredients

• Chicken thighs: I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs but you can use boneless chicken or chicken breast as well. Make such to adjust the time accordingly.
• Smoked paprika: A type of paprika with a rich smoky flavor that adds depth to the chicken. You can use regular paprika instead if you can't find smoked paprika.
• Castelvetrano olives: A type of green olive with a sweet and smiled flavor with a buttery and slightly nutty taste. If you can't find these specific olives, use another green olive instead.
• Walnuts: These buttery crunchy nuts add texture to the vinaigrette while adding another layer of flavor. You can also toasted pinenuts or almonds.
• Herbs: Although I used fresh parsley and basil for the vinaigrette, you can use just one of the herbs or add other ones such as dill or cilantro.
• Sherry vinegar: A type of vinegar with a complex tangy flavor with a subtle sweetness. If you can't find sherry vinegar, use red wine vinegar instead.
• Baby golden potatoes: These small waxy potatoes are perfect for roasting but you can also use fingerling potatoes or new potatoes.

How to Make Paprika Chicken with Olive Walnut Vinaigrette

Step 1: Marinate chicken

Let's start preparing this dish by first marinating the chicken. Combine bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper, and a generous amount of paprika. You can also use boneless chicken but bone-in skin yields much juicier chicken.

Let the chicken marinate for at least one hour or overnight. If you have the time, go ahead and let it sit overnight. This allows more time for the chicken to really absorb those spices. However, if you're short on time, 1 hour will do just fine.

Step 2: Make olive walnut vinaigrette

Meanwhile, make the olive walnut vinaigrette. Coarsely chop toasted walnuts and combine them with sliced olives, chopped herbs, olive oil, garlic, and sherry vinegar. You can also use a food processor to chop the ingredients if it makes it easier.

I chose castelvetrano olives for the vinaigrette because they're meaty, have a mild flavor, and have buttery flesh. You can substitute them for another olive such as kalamata or picholine if desired.

Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors marry. Feel free to make the vinaigrette the night before. However, the herbs may be dull in color.

Step 3: Roast chicken and potatoes

Now let's turn our attention back to the chicken. Pour ½ cup chicken stock into the bottom of a sheet pan and add the thyme sprigs. Place the chicken directly on top of the thyme and roast the chicken until the juices run clear.

Why do we add the chicken stock? I found that it helps cook the chicken more evenly since we're using bone-in chicken. It also keeps the meat especially juicy.

While the chicken is roasting, go ahead and roast the potatoes. Cut baby gold potatoes in half lengthwise and toss them in garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown.

Once the potatoes are fork-tender, sprinkle grated parmesan and toss to combine.

Plate the roasted chicken and potatoes on a serving platter and top the chicken with the olive walnut vinaigrette. Serve the extra dressing on the side.

I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this paprika chicken with olive walnut vinaigrette. It's a step up from basic roasted chicken and the vinaigrette brings texture, acid, and freshness to the entire meal. A solid weeknight dinner!

FAQs

Can I marinate the chicken for longer than 1 hour?

Yes, feel free to marinate the chicken overnight for even more flavor.

How long does it take to roast chicken?

It should take about 40-45 minutes in the oven at 425 degrees F. Use a thermometer for the best accuracy, pulling out the chicken when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Can I prepare the chicken in the air fryer?

Yes, you can cook both the chicken and potatoes in the air fryer. Cook them at 400 degrees until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

For more chicken inspiration check out this roasted miso mushroom chicken!