Skillet Chicken with Lemony Mustard Greens and Olives

In the Mediterranean, dark leafy greens are eaten almost daily. Meat dishes often contain greens or they are served on the side. Some greens can be intimidating to cook because you don’t know how to get rid of the bitterness. This Mediterranean Diet recipe uses mustard greens and I think you’re going to love them after you try it. Searing the chicken in the skillet adds delicious fat and flavor to the greens.  Lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil are always a compliment to bitter greens.

Mediterranean Diet Recipes: Chicken Thighs with Greens and Olives

I like to use pitted olives in this so you don’t have to worry about biting down on a rock-hard pit. I would eat this dish with a tomato salad and good crusty bread. The lemony, garlicky, sauce that gets created in the bottom of the skillet is perfect for dipping. This is a dish to share. I put the whole skillet in the middle of the table to serve and people can easily reach in and dip their bread. This dish pairs well with a white wine. You can even add a splash to the skillet chicken before it goes in the oven. It can’t hurt!

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Mediterranean Diet: Skillet Chicken with Lemony Mustard Greens and Olives

Skillet Chicken with Lemony Mustard Greens and Olives

George Zikos
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 441 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 1 lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small bunch mustard greens, de-stemmed and loosely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green olives, pitted
  • salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  • Drizzle a little olive oil into a large cast iron skillet on medium heat. Wait for the oil to heat up.
  • Sear the chicken thighs on two sides for 5 minutes each. Remove to a plate.
  • Add the rest of the olive oil, the minced garlic, and the mustard greens to the pan. Saute for two minutes just to wilt the greens slightly.
  • Place the chicken thighs on top of the greens. Add the olives, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Bake in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes. Halfway through, spoon some of the liquid over the greens to prevent any crisping.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 19gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 355mgPotassium: 318mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 570IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe? Tell us about it!Click here to rate this recipe in the comments section below.
About the Author: George Zikos
George studied International Business in Greece in 2015 for three semesters. His family is from the island of Crete, and he lived with them for a whole summer. During that time, he started working for Mediterranean Living and contributing his firsthand experiences of the traditional Cretan diet. He learned fluent Greek along the way, being fully immersed in a traditional Cretan village. He is since graduated with a business degree from Worcester State University. George loves language and traveling, so he completed a TEFL certificate program at the Boston Language Institute in order to teach English abroad and travel the world. He currently works full-time blogging, recipe formulating, and social media marketing for Mediterranean Living. His passions include language, gardening, hiking, skateboarding, and watching sports. He dreams of living in Crete one day, after he travels the world learning as many languages and cultures as possible.

5 Comments

  1. Megan June 5, 2023 at 8:46 pm - Reply

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! Thank you so much! A quick fyi: the mustard greens and parsley seem to be missing from the ingredients list, so you may want to update that.

    • Bill Bradley, R.D. August 11, 2023 at 10:03 am - Reply

      Thank you! Recipe has been updated!

  2. Kathy September 24, 2018 at 3:13 am - Reply

    One of our favourites So much flavour

  3. LDM April 26, 2018 at 1:59 am - Reply

    Delicious! Pretty presentation, too.

5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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