What Are Chicken Olives? A Guide to Cooking with Olives

Olives are a common ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, adding a salty, tangy punch to dishes. Their briny flavor pairs especially well with chicken. If you’ve seen recipes for chicken with olives and wondered what gives these dishes their signature taste, read on. This article will explain what chicken olives are, recommend olive varieties to cook with, and share tips for using olives in chicken recipes

What Are Olives?

Olives are stone fruits produced by olive trees. There are hundreds of olive varieties but they mainly fall into three categories

• Green olives – Picked before ripening, these olives maintain their green color and have a bitter, grassy taste. Popular green olive varieties include Manzanilla, Picholine, and Lucque.

• Black olives – Allowed to ripen on the tree, black olives develop a deeper flavor and are less bitter than unripe green olives. Common black olive types are Kalamata, Nyon, and Thassos.

• Oil-cured olives – Cured in an oil brine rather than water brine, oil-cured olives like Moroccan or California-style olives have a rich, mellow flavor.

Green and black olives both make tasty additions to chicken dishes. Oil-cured olives also work well, but their flavor is usually described as less “olive-y.”

Why Cook Chicken with Olives?

The salty, tangy taste of olives balances and enhances the mild flavor of chicken. Olives also provide texture contrast in chicken recipes. They hold their shape during cooking, so you get delightful bursts of brininess in each bite.

Some of the most classic chicken and olive pairings include:

• Chicken cacciatore – An Italian hunter-style braise with tomatoes, wine, mushrooms, and olives

• Chicken tagine – A Moroccan stew characterized by olives, preserved lemons, and warming spices like cumin and cinnamon

• Mediterranean chicken – Seared chicken breasts or thighs topped with a sauce of olives, lemon, garlic, and herbs

• Chicken Marbella – A baked chicken dish with prunes, capers, oregano, white wine, and green olives

So olives infuse chicken with signature Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. Their saltiness also enhances the other ingredients.

Best Olives to Use in Chicken Recipes

You can use most brined olives in chicken recipes, but some varieties are better suited for cooking than others. Here are top options:

Kalamata olives – The most widely available Greek black olive, Kalamatas have an earthy, wine-like flavor. Their rich taste can stand up to bold seasonings.

Castelvetrano olives – Bright green with a fresh, buttery flavor, these Sicilian olives add mild brininess without overpowering other ingredients. Their soft texture also works well in braises.

Picholine olives – A principal green olive grown in France, Picholines have a firm texture and moderate bitterness. Their grassy taste complements herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Nicoise olives – Small black olives native to France’s Cote d’Azur region. They are cured with oranges, bay leaves, and other herbs, lending a complex, robust flavor.

Manzanilla olives – One of the most popular Spanish green olives, Manzanillas are crisp, tart, and salty. They brighten dishes with their sharp taste.

I suggest buying good quality olives from the refrigerated section of your grocery store, rather than generic canned olives which lack flavor.

Tips for Cooking with Olives

Here are some tips to follow when using olives to make chicken dishes:

• Pick an olive variety – Choose an olive that will pair well with your recipe flavors. Mild Castelvetranos work for simple preparations, while pungent Kalamatas can handle assertive seasonings.

• Brine vs. oil-cured – Opt for brined olives to get the most characteristic olive taste. Oil-cures have a more muted flavor.

• Whole, pitted, or chopped – Pitted and chopped olives distribute brininess evenly. Whole olives provide nice texture contrast.

• Marinate before adding – For bolder olive taste, marinate chopped or sliced olives in olive oil, garlic, citrus zest, and spices for 1-2 hours. Then add to the dish later in cooking.

• Add near the end – To preserve the olive’s flavor and texture, wait to add olives until the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time for braises or sautés.

• Green vs. black – Use green for an acidic punch and black for deeper, earthier tastes. Mixing green and black can provide balance.

Chicken and Olive Recipe Inspiration

To highlight how olives liven up chicken, here are a few recipe ideas:

One-Skillet Mediterranean Chicken

Made with green olives, lemon, tomatoes, and oregano, this quick stove-top dish packs bright Mediterranean flavor. The briny olives cut through the richness of the chicken and broth.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

A tagine is a North African clay pot used for braises like this one. It includes spices like cumin and cinnamon, along with honey, preserved lemons, and salty black olives for contrast.

Chicken Cacciatore

Cacciatore means “hunter-style” in Italian. For this braise, seared chicken joins tomatoes, mushrooms, red wine, herbs, and briny Kalamata olives. Serve over pasta or polenta.

Spanish Chicken with Olives and Sherry

Pan-fried chicken smothered in a savory sherry and olive sauce infused with smoked paprika. Green Spanish olives like Manzanilla would work well here.

Chicken Marbella

A baked chicken dish with green olives, prunes, capers, and aromatic oregano. The sweet and sour flavors pair nicely with the olives’ saltiness.

In chicken cacciatore, a variety of olives can be used, but Kalamata olives and green olives (like Castelvetrano) are popular choices. Some recipes also call for oil-cured olives. You can even use a mix of green and black olives.