2 level tsp roughly crushed white or black peppercorns
175g (6oz) pitted black olives, such as Kalamata
6 garlic cloves
225g (8oz) shallots
4 bay leaves
6 large thyme sprigs
300ml (1⁄2 pint) red wine
Thyme and oregano sprigs to garnish
Directions
Step 1
Skewer the chicken joints and put them in a large enamelled roasting tin. Spoon the oil over and sprinkle with the salt and crushed peppercorns.
Step 2
Scatter the olives, garlic cloves and roughly chopped shallots on top of the chicken, then tuck in the bay leaves and thyme. Pour the red wine over and leave to marinate for 5-6hr or overnight.
Step 3
Drain off the red wine and keep to one side. Bake the chicken at 220°C (425°F) mark 7 for 1hr or until cooked through to the centre. Move the joints around in the roasting tin halfway through the cooking time so they cook evenly.
Step 4
Place the reserved wine in a large pan, add the juices from the cooked chicken and bring to the boil; bubble for 5min or until syrupy. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the roasting tin. Put the chicken on a large serving plate with the olives, garlic and shallots. Spoon the syrupy wine on top and garnish with thyme and oregano.
Step 5
Prepare ahead. Up to two days in advance, complete the recipe to the end of step 2. Cover and chill the marinated chicken. To serve: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30min before cooking. Complete the recipe.
Complete the recipe but don't garnish. Cool, then place in a freezerproof container and freeze. To serve; Thaw overnight at cool room temperature, place in an ovenproof dish and heat through at 190°C (375°F) mark 5 for 50-60min or until hot to the centre. Complete the recipe.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).