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.

Jump to:

• Watch how to make this
• What makes this dish special
• Ingredients
• Substitutions and variations
• Step-by-step instructions
• Make-ahead and storage
• Frequently asked questions
• Serving suggestions
• Recipe

Watch how to make this

@cherryonmysundae

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

♬ Beach Day - Plastic Ruby

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.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: You can substitute the chicken with salmon, steak, or pork tenderloin.
• Spicy: For a spicy kick, add sliced Calabrian chilies to the olive walnut vinaigrette.
• Vegetables: Feel free to incorporate other vegetables such as roasted carrots or broccoli.

Step-by-step instructions

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 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 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!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The chicken can be marinated the day before and the olive walnut vinaigrette can be prepared the day before.
• Store: Store the olive walnut vinaigrette separately from the chicken and potatoes in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Looking for sides to serve this roasted chicken? Try these:

Recipe