Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Ramps, and Green Olives

A flavorful roasted chicken dish featuring crispy skin, bright lemon, seasonal ramps, and buttery Castelvetrano olives, all finished in a white wine sauce. Perfect for a special dinner that serves a crowd.

6 servings

1 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•4 tablespoons olive oil
•1 whole lemon
•2 whole chickens
•1 to taste Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
•1 bunch ramps or scallions
•4 cloves garlic
•3 whole shallots
•⅓ cup pitted mild green olives
•1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
•½ cup dry white wine
•1 to taste Fresh parsley leaves

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Fry lemon slices until just beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve oil in pan.
5 min
2.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return pan to medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook chicken, without turning, until skin is nicely browned and crisped, 7-8 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken, skin-side up, to a large roasting pan; repeat with remaining chicken. Reserve skillet (do not wash).
16 min
3.
Arrange reserved lemon slices and ramps around chicken pieces. Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook until chicken is cooked through (it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F), 25-30 minutes. Transfer chicken, lemon slices, and ramps to a serving platter, reserving pan juices.
30 min
4.
Heat reserved skillet over medium; add garlic and shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add olives and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, 2-3 minutes. Using a spoon, transfer chicken juices from roasting pan to skillet and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce around chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.
14 min

Ingredients

•4 tablespoons olive oil

•1 whole lemon

•2 whole chickens

•1 to taste Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

•1 bunch ramps or scallions

•4 cloves garlic

•3 whole shallots

•⅓ cup pitted mild green olives

•1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

•½ cup dry white wine

•1 to taste Fresh parsley leaves

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Fry lemon slices until just beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve oil in pan.

5 min

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return pan to medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook chicken, without turning, until skin is nicely browned and crisped, 7-8 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken, skin-side up, to a large roasting pan; repeat with remaining chicken. Reserve skillet (do not wash).

16 min

Arrange reserved lemon slices and ramps around chicken pieces. Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook until chicken is cooked through (it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F), 25-30 minutes. Transfer chicken, lemon slices, and ramps to a serving platter, reserving pan juices.

30 min

Heat reserved skillet over medium; add garlic and shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add olives and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, 2-3 minutes. Using a spoon, transfer chicken juices from roasting pan to skillet and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce around chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

14 min