It may be the last week of September and the leaves on the tree’s are changing colour but we have had a week of glorious sunshine, I am loving it, all the windows and doors open and our tomatoes are still going strong. I thought that this mediterranean baked chicken was a lovely way to use them and to hold onto the taste of summer for just a little bit longer.
This dish is so easy to prepare and it is well worth taking the time to marinate the chicken for the full three hours, the taste is sensational and the chicken is so moist and because of all the different ingredients in this dish you get a different interesting mouthful in every bite.
We discussed the dish at the table, like we do any new dish and I felt that Chorizo would be a lovely addition, the overall thought was that the bocconcini got a bit lost in the dish, added very little to the dish and had no flavour, we all felt that feta would be our choice of cheese next time.
So if you have tomatoes in the garden to use up, or you just want to hang on to the taste of summer for just a little longer, give this dish a go, its a lovely simple vibrant meal and I hope it puts a little bit more Summer into your life.
Buon appetito
Serves: 4-6
Marinade
1½ lbs (about 650 to 700 grams) chicken breast or thighs ( the recipe suggests boneless & skinless, I used the complete opposite, LOL !)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons marinade from artichoke hearts
4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves stripped
Bake
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
450 grams cherry tomatoes, left whole
390g tin of marinated artichoke hearts
400g tin of white beans, drained & rinsed (I used Mr Organic Giant White from Waitrose)
½ c. Kalamata olives, pitted
1 small tub marinated bocconcini
olive oil
salt & pepper
Garnish
fresh basil & parsley, to taste
For the marinade, drain the artichoke hearts reserving its juice in a small bowl. Pat the artichokes dry with a paper towel and set aside. To another bowl, add 2-3 tbsp. of the reserved artichoke juice, garlic, and oregano leaves (if you have any artichoke juice leftover, save it to drizzle over the dish when finished). Cut the chicken into 1½ inch strips and add to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, maximum 3 hours.
When you’re ready to start cooking, preheat your oven to 200C, 400 F.
To a large roasting pan, add the sliced onions and tomatoes. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook (stirring occasionally) until the onions are soft and the tomatoes begin to burst, about 15-20 minutes. I used rather larger pieces of chicken so cooked mine for 30 minutes, but just keep any eye on it and make sure that the juices from the chicken are running clear.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan warm 1 tsp. of olive oil over moderate heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, working in batches. The chicken will be slightly undercooked.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. At this point, the onions should be soft and sticky. If not, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
To the pan, add the chicken, artichoke hearts, beans, and olives (not the bocconcini- if you add the cheese too early it will melt all over the place). Roast for about 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Roughly chop a large handful of both basil and parsley.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Now add the bocconcini and herbs and toss gently to combine. The heat from the pan will melt the cheese. Drizzle with a little good quality olive oil and extra artichoke juice if desired.
Serve with crusty bread.
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