This is the type of dish everyone should have in their roster – one that is rustic, aromatic and colorful. The briny green olives pair perfectly with the fragrant lemon, roast tomato and olive oil mixture and, perhaps best of all, it is supremely easy. Just throw everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the rest of the work.

¾ cup pitted green olives
3 to 4 pound whole chicken (ask your butcher to cut it into 8 pieces)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons lemon zest
8 oz cherry tomatoes
sea salt and cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Soak the olives in cold water for 5 minutes to remove the excess salt. Drain. Place the chicken in a baking dish, skin-side up, and put a piece of garlic under each chicken portion. Combine the olives, parsley, lemon zest, tomatoes, salt, pepper and oil and spoon over the chicken.
2. Bake for 45–55 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Place on serving plates and serve drizzled with the pan juices.

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