Oregano-Garlic Chicken with Big Croutons Recipe
This Oregano-Garlic Chicken with Big Croutons is a flavorful and hearty roast chicken dish featuring bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks. Roasted to perfection alongside large, crispy bread chunks, the chicken is infused with aromatic garlic, golden raisins, and fresh oregano, then finished with a bright vinaigrette sauce made from chicken stock, white wine vinegar, and more oregano. It’s a rustic, savory meal that combines juicy poultry with crunchy, herbed croutons for a delightful texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks (about 2¼ pounds)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for rubbing and drizzling (approximately ⅓ cup plus more as needed)
Bread Croutons
- 1 (1-pound) loaf hearty bread (such as ciabatta, Pugliese, or sourdough), torn into large 2-inch chunks
Garlic-Raisin Sauce
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
- Flaky salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for roasting the chicken and bread.
- Prepare and start roasting chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Rub each piece with enough olive oil to coat completely. Arrange the thighs skin-side down spaced evenly on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Add bread and flip chicken: While the chicken roasts, tear the bread into large 2-inch chunks. After 15 minutes, carefully flip each chicken piece over using a thin metal spatula to loosen if needed. Nestle the bread chunks in between and around the chicken pieces on the sheet pan. Drizzle additional olive oil over the bread.
- Continue roasting: Return the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the bread chunks are crisp and lightly golden on the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Prepare garlic-raisin oil: While the chicken finishes roasting, place the sliced garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, golden raisins, and a large pinch of salt in a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, then immediately turn off the heat to prevent burning.
- Make vinaigrette sauce: Once the chicken and bread are ready to serve, add the chicken stock to the garlic oil mixture and bring to a gentle simmer, then turn off heat. Season with black pepper and stir in the white wine vinegar (or lemon juice) and most of the fresh oregano leaves. The sauce should have a vinaigrette-like consistency.
- Serve: Spoon the warm vinaigrette sauce generously over the roasted chicken and croutons. Finish by sprinkling flaky salt and the remaining oregano leaves on top for a fresh burst of flavor.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks for optimal flavor and juiciness.
- The choice of bread is important – sturdy, hearty bread like ciabatta or sourdough works best to hold up during roasting.
- Watch the garlic closely as it simmers in oil to avoid burning, which would cause bitterness.
- The sauce can be adjusted with lemon juice or white wine vinegar depending on your preference for acidity.
- Flipping chicken carefully prevents sticking and helps achieve an even roast.
Keywords: roast chicken, oregano chicken, garlic chicken, croutons, savory chicken, Mediterranean chicken, oven roasted chicken, chicken thighs, hearty bread, garlic vinaigrette
