Baked Italian Style Chicken

The cry of many cooks when they find they have chicken breasts in the fridge that need to be eaten tonight, “What can I do with chicken breasts that’s not boring?”

Well I found myself in this situation tonight and remembered a recipe I’d seen in a Donna Hay cook book and added a couple of ingredients of my own.

This is the recipe which serves 2 people.  I had 4 chicken breasts to use up so I doubled mine.

SIMPLE & DELICIOUS!

                                                  

INGREDIENTS

Cherry Tomatoes (halved) 250g/8oz.

Pancetta (or bacon) 120g/4oz. coarsely chopped

Oregano leaves (or dried) 2T

Garlic 8 cloves (peel on)

Olive Oil 1T and extra for drizzle

Chicken Breast Fillets 200g x 2

Black Olives 1/2cup/80g/3oz.

Basil leaves

Parmesan cheese (optional)

I added cooked Jersey Royal potatoes(new potatoes or waxy potatoes) because I had them left over and they are so delicious!

I also added a tin of artichoke hearts which gave it that little extra pizzaz.

These two additions made it a “one pot wonder”, meaning an entire meal in one dish.

METHOD

HEAT oven to 200C.

PLACE  tomatoes, pancetta, Oregano, garlic and Olive Oil in a baking dish. (and cooked potatoes if using)

TOSS  to combine

BAKE  for 25 mins.

ADD chicken fillets, and olives to the dish (add drained artichokes if using)

SPRINKLE  with fresh black pepper and  DRIZZLE with Olive Oil

BAKE  for another 20-30 mins. or until chicken tender

PLACE  on serving plate with whole or shredded Basil leaves

GRATE on Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

I can assure this is so simple and so tasty you will make it again and again.