Baked chicken

Baked Mediterranean Chicken

Cosy Food

I love the simplicity and freshness of this dish, it gives me comfort on a cold winters night or a hot summer afternoon, it goes great with some boiled potatoes or a salad with light dressing and a lovely glass of white wine…mmm yummy.

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For this recipe I first marinate the chicken by mixing all the ingredients in a bag and leaving it in the fridge for a couple of hours, before baking off in the oven, during which time I make the sauce.

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Chicken Marinade:

  • Free range or highest welfare chicken breasts (Good for you and fair on them)
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Few drops of Tabasco sauce (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons of dried herbs
  • Salt and pepper

The Great British “Chicken” Bake off:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake the chicken for approximately 25-35 min, depending on the size of chicken breasts. Whilst the chicken is cooking, start with the sauce.

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An Irresistible Mediterranean Sauce:

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon of grated ginger
  • 2 to 3 anchovy fillets or a teaspoon of anchovy paste
  • 1 medium slice chili pepper
  • 1 sliced medium onion
  • 1/4 cup of white wine
  • 200g of fresh tomatoes (sliced or chopped)
  • 10 to 20 olives (I use a mix of queen Spanish & Greek kalamata but any olives will work with this recipe)
  • 1/2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of capers
  • Fresh basil
  • Dried herbs
  • Salt & pepper

Add the oil to a frying pan and once hot add the garlic, ginger and anchovies, reducing the heat to ensure these don’t burn. Mix well and add the sliced onions, leaving them until they become soft and translucent, add the chili, tomatoes and season with a little bit of salt.

After a couple of minutes the tomatoes will start to break up, add the wine, olives and red wine vinegar and let the alcohol of the wine evaporate for a couple of minutes. To finish, add the capers, basil and dried herbs, mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Take the chicken out of the oven, ensure it is cooked thoughtout, add the sauce and serve…let the Mediterranean flavours explode on your palate and enjoy with a nice glass of wine.

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I hope you love it!