Harvest Roast Chicken with Olives Grapes and Rosemary

RECIPE

Author's remarks

The first time I made this, I was unwaveringly certain that nobody would like it. My husband detests sweet things in savory dishes; I find most olives too salty; and the toddler, well, he’s a toddler. You’re probably wondering why I went ahead anyway. The thing is, I think browning and oven-roasting chicken, then making a sauce from the pan drippings, is one of the greatest ways to cook a bird. It’s quick, so it totally passes muster on a weeknight. It’s not expensive. And because the chicken is cooked in pieces, it can accommodate an assortment of picky eaters—say, a husband who likes only white meat, a wife who likes only dark meat, and a child who insists he doesn’t like chicken as he chews on a drumstick. Despite my pessimism, we were blown away by this dish. I have made it with ingredients both highbrow (local grapes and imported olives) and low (street-cart grapes and sad olives from the back of the fridge) and have never found it less than perfect.

Ingredients

 3 lb bone-in skin-on chicken parts (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts)

 Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

 1 Tbsp olive oil

 1 cup seedless grapes

 1 cup pitted kalamata olives

 2 shallots, sliced

 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

 ½ cup dry white wine

 ½ cup chicken broth

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Warm oil in a heavy, ovenproof 12-inch skillet (cast- iron if you’ve got it) over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in 2 batches, brown chicken, flipping once, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring first batch to a plate while second batch browns. I take a lot of care in this step, not moving chicken until skin releases itself and is nicely bronzed.

Return all chicken to pan, skin side up, and surround with grapes, olives, shallots, and rosemary. Roast chicken until just cooked through and juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken, grapes, and olives to a platter, then add wine and chicken broth to juices in skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits, and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain sauce and pour over chicken, if desired. (See how long it takes guests to offer to slurp up sauce with a spoon.)