Olive and Artichoke Chicken | Make Ahead Weeknight Meal

Chicken no longer needs to be boring! This Olive and Artichoke Chicken is the most amped-up chicken recipe ever! Plus, 90% is done ahead of time, so it's a major time-saver. According to my mom, it makes an "elegant presentation". So if the queen is coming, this chicken is for her!

Ingredients

Marinade - best when chicken can marinate for at least 8 hours

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley - roughly chopped (see recipe for using dried parsley)
• Balsamic vinegar - this is where so much flavor comes from
• Minced garlic - I like to use pre-minced garlic to save time (and smelly fingers)
• Dried oregano
• Black olives - halved and pitted (or buy pre-sliced if you don't mind smaller bits)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Add to chicken before throwing in the oven

• Brown sugar - the sugar offsets the vinegar and wine for a perfect balance
• Red wine - the alcohol will burn off, but if you prefer to avoid alcohol, substitute with unsweetened grape or cranberry juice
• Artichoke hearts - without flavoring, from a can - drained and halved

Using simple ingredients in the right combination

This is by far the most flavorful chicken you will ever make! I love the complexity of flavors you get by using simple on-hand ingredients! The marinade juice is a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and red wine. And you know I love cooking with wine, because it gives me the perfect excuse for a glass before noon...

Prepping dinner ahead of time is my favorite time saver!

Oh, that's right, you can prep Olive and Artichoke Chicken dish ahead of time! I love cooking ahead of time. My kids become crazy whiny after 4pm and my littlest clings to my legs the whole time I cook in the kitchen, making me like a gymnast with knives.

So, I like to prep as much as possible early in the day or even the day before. Since I started doing this, dinner has become a much more pleasant and enjoyable time. For me anyways, the rest of my family didn't seem to mind my crazy acrobatics in the kitchen.

The make-ahead part of this Olive and Artichoke Chicken makes it perfect for having people over too!

Instructions

• Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow baking dish or zip top bag, including chicken.
• Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap (or use a zip top bag) and refrigerate overnight, or about 8 hours.
• Next day (or 8 hours later) - preheat oven to 425°F (180°C) and remove chicken from refrigerator for about 30 minutes before baking.
• Remove plastic wrap (or place chicken and marinade in a baking dish if using a zip top bag). Sprinkle brown sugar and artichoke hearts over the chicken.
• Pour red wine over the chicken.
• Bake on center rack for 20-25 minutes, checking doneness with an instant read thermometer at 18 minutes. 

Easy Chicken Dinners

This Olive and Artichoke Chicken is in my family cookbook. Yes, my family printed a cookbook and distributed it to everyone, we're cool like that. But if you love an easy weeknight chicken dinner, try our very popular Chicken & Brown Rice Bake or Chicken Cordon Blue.

Prep tonight, enjoy tomorrow!

Seriously, throw this stuff in your fridge for dinner tonight or tomorrow and love your future self and eliminate the hassle of cooking while exhausted. I throw together a simple salad to go with this and you've got yourself a "beautiful presentation" and a truly delicious meal! We love Make Ahead Meals around here, and this might be my favorite! Enjoy!