Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 8 chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on
- 5 g salt, divided
- 2 g black pepper, to taste
- 80 ml olive oil, divided
- 250 g bread, torn into 5cm chunks
- 6 garlic, thinly sliced
- 50 g golden raisins
- 80 ml chicken stock
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 7½ g fresh oregano, leaves only
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1083 kcal
- Protein
- 57 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 73 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 997 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 37 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 295 mg
- Potassium
- 850 mg
- Calcium
- 151 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 566 mg
- Zinc
- 4.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 71 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.49 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.68 mg
- Niacin
- 16.8 mg
- Folate
- 70 mcg
- Water
- 243 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels to ensure crispy skin.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a small amount of the olive oil, rubbing to coat.
Place the chicken skin-side down on the sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes at 220°C (425°F).
Flip the chicken pieces over. Use a thin spatula if the skin sticks to the pan.
Add the bread chunks to the pan in the spaces between the chicken and drizzle with more olive oil.
Roast for another 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) and the bread is toasted.
Combine the sliced garlic, 80ml olive oil, raisins, and a pinch of salt in a small pot over medium-low heat until the garlic sizzles.
Pour the chicken stock into the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
Stir the vinegar and most of the oregano into the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and bread on the pan, then top with remaining oregano and salt.
Chef's Notes
- For the crispiest chicken skin, ensure the chicken is patted thoroughly dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Don't overcrowd the sheet pan. Give the chicken and bread pieces ample space to allow for proper roasting and browning, rather than steaming.
- When searing the garlic for the sauce, keep the heat low to prevent burning. The goal is to gently infuse the oil with garlic flavor, not to make the garlic bitter.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the final sauce. The balance of vinegar, salt, and sweetness from the raisins is crucial.
- If you don't have white wine vinegar, lemon juice is an excellent substitute that will add a similar bright acidity.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken and bread together; bread will soften over time.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 10-15 minutes to recrisp the bread.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is not crispy
Cause: Chicken was not dried properly or oven temperature was too low
Fix: Increase heat to 230°C for the final 5 minutes of roasting
Prevention: Thoroughly pat chicken dry and ensure oven is fully preheated
Bread chunks are burning
Cause: Bread chunks were too small or oven has hot spots
Fix: Remove toasted bread chunks from the pan and set aside while chicken finishes
Prevention: Tear bread into large 5cm pieces and rotate the pan halfway through
Cultural Context
This sheet-pan chicken dish draws inspiration from Mediterranean flavors, particularly those found in Greek and Italian cuisines. The use of oregano, garlic, and olive oil are hallmarks of the region, while the addition of raisins offers a subtle sweetness that is common in some historical Mediterranean preparations, reminiscent of flavor profiles found in ancient Roman cooking.
