Roasted Chicken and Zucchini With Caper-Basil Vinaigrette

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Updated July 8, 2026

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 2
Ready In
1 hr 40 min
Rating
5(16)
Comments
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In this simple recipe, thinly sliced zucchini sits under whole chicken legs as everything roasts, soaking up the juices like little sponges and turning sweet and jammy. For best results, use smaller zucchini rather than large ones, which tend to be watery. A mandoline makes short work of the slicing, but a sharp knife and some patience also do the trick — just make sure to slice the zucchini very thinly so they turn soft and melty as they roast. A caper, shallot and basil vinaigrette spooned over at the end cuts through the richness. White balsamic vinegar is less punchy and more balanced than other white vinegars, but if you can't find it, use the same amount of rice vinegar mixed with 1½ teaspoons sugar. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Featured in: The Unforgettable (and Simple) Way Yotam Ottolenghi Cooks Zucchini

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

For the Chicken

  • 1½ pounds (3 to 6) zucchini or yellow summer squash (or a combination), very thinly sliced 

  • 2 large shallots, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

  • 8 fresh oregano sprigs 

  • 10 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 

  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly crushed 

  • 2 teaspoons Aleppo chile flakes (or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes) 

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

  • Fine sea salt 

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

  • 6 whole chicken legs (about 3 ¾ pounds)

For the Vinaigrette

  • ½ cup white balsamic vinegar (or the same amount of rice vinegar mixed with 1½ teaspoons sugar)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 

  • 1 large shallot, very thinly sliced (1 cup loosely packed)

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed 

  • ⅓ cup capers, drained and roughly chopped 

  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped 

  • Fine sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

28 grams carbs; 269 milligrams cholesterol; 842 calories; 27 grams monosaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 58 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1317 milligrams sodium; 53 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the chicken: Add the zucchini, shallots, garlic, oregano sprigs, anchovies, fennel seeds, chile flakes and 3 tablespoons of the oil to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet or 12-by-16-inch roasting pan. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper and give everything a good mix. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until the zucchini and shallots have softened and started to color around the edges.

  3. Step 3

    Rub the chicken all over with the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Remove the pan from the oven and give the zucchini slices a gentle stir, then nestle the chicken legs in amongst them. Return to the oven for another 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the zucchini is completely soft, jammy and charred in places. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, mix together the vinegar, oil, shallots, garlic, capers, oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt and some more pepper. When ready to serve, fold the basil into the vinaigrette and spoon some over each chicken leg, then drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of the liquid portion of the vinaigrette over the zucchini, leaving the rest in the bowl to serve alongside.

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Comments

Jude

This note likely won't get published b/c I have not yet made this (surely intend to, though), but the column Ottolenghi wrote to accompany this is one of the best-written love letters to food I have ever read.

Pat

Made this tonight. Wonderful! Caramelized shallots and zucchini a revelation. Serve with some good bread to soak up all of the schmaltzy, vinegary goodness.

Roo

Will try. Lovely article tho…a life lesson and a recipe…perfect combo. I fry zucchini in a butter, add a tiny sprinkle of sugar and then drizzle in some soy sauce….I can eat a whole lot of zucchini done this way.

Mark

No doubt this is a superb dish, but with what looks like 20 ingredients(!), it seems that lots of vegetables could easily substitute for the zucchini. I learned to like zukes with a much simpler "recipe": cut some zucchini into 1/8 inch coins and some mushrooms into 1/8 inch thick slices. Saute the mushrooms in some good oil until most of their liquid has evaporated, add the zukes and a bit of butter and saute the mixture until the zukes brown to your liking. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Mmmm.

Kate

Susan: You need three cups of thinly sliced shallots - 2 cups for the chicken and 1 loosely packed cup for the vinaigrette. Some shallots are quite small (not much bigger than a large garlic clove_ and some are quite large - the size of small onions. Whatever makes the aforementioned amount of shallots for the chicken and the vinaigrette is what you need.

510Donna

1 Tbsp of olive oil to 1/2 Cup of vinegar? What the heck?

Kate

510Donna: The "vinaigrette" is actually a vinegar sauce - not something you'd use on greens. Vinegar chicken is really tasty!

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