Roast chicken with dates, olives and capers

August 30, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

Thanks again to the incredible Yotam Ottolenghi for another Middle Eastern winner. The combination of sweet dates, briny green olives and tart capers, complements this dish so beautifully. It is best to prepare this dish 2 days before you need to serve it and leave it in the fridge to marinate so all the wonderful flavors permeate the chicken

Preheat the oven to 350 F
8 whole chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached and skin on.
5 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 oz fresh oregano, plus extra for garnish
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
4 oz pitted green olives
2 oz capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices
3 oz Medjool dates, pitted and and quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
4 fl oz dry white wine
1 tbsp date syrup or treacle
Salt and black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart form the wine and date molasses, along with 3/4 tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and date syrup/treacle and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large warm platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Meat · Poultry

Coq au vin

August 29, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

We had a really lovely coq au vin last night with close friends, sitting outside on the patio. It was one of those really simple recipes that is full of flavor and you can make ahead and put in the fridge overnight.
The depth of flavor to this dish is huge, especially as you caramelize the onions and mushrooms separately then add to the chicken them halfway through the cooking.
One time I served it with mashed cauliflower and a tomato, mozzarella, basil, avocado and red onion salad and it was divine. Another time I served it with mashed sweet potato and my “Easy cheesy zucchini bake” and it also went down a treat.

Serves 4 to 6
2 oz bacon fat or olive oil
4 – 5lbs chicken legs and thighs, seasoned well with salt and pepper
6 thick slices bacon, chopped
3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
3 good sized leeks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp flour
20 fl oz good red wine (one you would drink)
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp herbes de Provence
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
12 oz cremini or baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
A 14 oz bag of frozen pearl onions, defrosted then dried with paper towels.
3 oz butter

Preheat the oven to 325F
Heat the bacon fat or olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, like Le Creuset. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
Transfer them to a plate. Add the bacon, celery, leeks and garlic to the casserole and fry until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the flour and cook gently until it becomes a paste. Gradually add the wine, herbs and salt and pepper, stirring. Bring to the boil.
Return the chicken to the casserole, cover and put into the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the onions and mushrooms in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes until nicely caramelized. After the 45 minutes are up, add them to the casserole, and stir well.
Re-cover and continue to cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is well cooked through.

Dairy-free · Poultry

Sticky marmalade chicken breast

June 27, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

We are marmalade addicts, so this is right up our street, especially on a busy day when there’s not much time to spare preparing dinner. Very low fat too.

Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 pint (8 fl oz) chicken stock
4 heaped tbsp fine (or coarse) cut marmalade
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Season the chicken breasts well with pepper and salt.
Fry the chicken in the oil for 8 to 10 mins turning once until golden on each side.
Add the chicken stock, marmalade and thyme and simmer for 5 to 10 mins.
Remove the chicken and boil the sauce hard to reduce to a syrupy sauce, then pour over the chicken and serve.

* Boiled rice is a lovely catch-all for the sauce too.

Poultry

Chicken breast in Stilton sauce

June 27, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is another easy chicken breast meal. If you can’t find Stilton cheese, use another blue cheese.

Serves 2, but can be augmented easily, just watch the amount of chili
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 fl oz dry white wine
17 oz creme fraiche
1 small red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped fairly fine
6 oz Stilton cheese, crumbled
olive oil for frying

Fry the onion and garlic gently in a little olive oil until softened
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, cooking for about 8 mins until they begin to cook through.
Add the wine and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 of the amount of original liquid
Add 13 oz of the creme fraiche and stir thoroughly
Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, add the chili, chives and Stilton cheese a little at a time. Stir until all the Stilton is added and melted.
If the sauce becomes too thick, add more creme fraiche or if it is too thin, continue to reduce until the desired consistency is achieved

Poultry

Chicken breasts stuffed with olives and goat cheese

June 27, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

I get more requests for the boneless, skinless chicken breast than anything else! Here, chicken breasts are stuffed and then seared until golden-brown. The pan sauce is made separately, which both saves time and prevents the stuffing from getting into the velvety sauce. Although really tasty, the sauce is optional, depending on how much time you want to devote to the dish. I have made it both ways very successfully.

Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. fresh goat cheese, at room temp
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. minced shallots
1-1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. lower-salt chicken broth

With a sharp knife, cut a wide pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast half, taking care not to cut all the way through. Season the chicken evenly on both sides with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper total.
In a small bowl, mix the cheese, olives, and 1 tsp. each lemon zest and rosemary. Stuff the pockets with the cheese mixture and pin each shut with two toothpicks. Spread the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 12-inch heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat until the foam from the butter subsides. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once and adding another 1 Tbs. of butter halfway through cooking, until golden-brown and cooked through (reduce the heat to medium if necessary), 14 to 16 minutes total. Transfer to plates and remove the toothpicks. You can put them in the oven on low at this point, to stay warm, or even finish cooking at 300 F for 10 mins or so, if you like.
While the chicken cooks, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and boil for 1 minute more. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 3 Tbs. butter, 1 tsp. zest, and 1/2 tsp. rosemary. Serve the chicken drizzled with the sauce.

Gluten Free · Poultry

Fast and easy baked creamy tarragon chicken breast

June 25, 2014February 11, 2016 Belinda

I was asked recently if I had a really easy and quick boneless chicken breast dish and realized I hadn’t posted one of the simplest ones around.

Serves 8 but is easily halved.
1 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 heaped tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped roughly or 4 tsp dried tarragon, crumbled
4 cloves garlic, sliced lengthways
salt and pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a 13″ by 9″ baking dish, stir together all the ingredients except the chicken.
Season the chicken breasts well with salt and pepper then add them to the mixture, turning to coat well and arrange in one layer.
Bake the chicken in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Can’t get much easier than that!

Gluten Free · Poultry

Lime and Pomegranate chicken thighs

May 20, 2014February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is a recipe from another great food blog, “A View from Great Island”
Very clean and zingy tasting and great for a healthy, light dinner.

Serves 2

For the chicken
1 cup Greek yogurt (I used 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (not the juice drink)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

For the glaze
2 cups pomegranate juice (I used 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (I used the juice of 2 limes)
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Set the oven to 400F
To marinate the chicken, put the yogurt, pomegranate juice, salt, garlic and chicken in a large zip lock baggie. Massage everything until well combined. Put in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. I turned the bag over once or twice.
To make the glaze, put all the glaze ingredients in a saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and boil for about 20-25 minutes until reduced and thickened. Set aside.
Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat until screaming hot. Take the chicken out of the marinade, and let the excess liquid drip off before setting the chicken, skin side down, on the grill. Don’t move it for a minute or so until it gets nice dark grill marks.
Flip the chicken over, and then transfer to a baking pan that has been lightly brushed with olive oil. Bake the chicken for about 30-40 minutes, or until done through. Spoon a generous amount of glaze over the chicken, and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and lime wedges. Serve right away.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Eric Ripert’s summer chicken paillard with tomatoes, fennel and olives

May 17, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

In true Eric Ripert style (chef of the extraordinary restaurant in New York called “Le Bernadin”) this is a light and very flavorful summer dish with pure, refreshing flavors.

Serves 4
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded flat
1/2 cup shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup thinly sliced fennel
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup raisins, soaked in white wine or water
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (or you can substitute almonds)
2 tablespoons capers
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced julienne
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F
Toss the tomatoes, fennel, green olives, shallots, pine nuts, raisins, caper, basil, thyme leaves, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Drizzle most of the olive oil over the vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a single layer on a large baking dish. Cover the chicken with the vegetable mixture and drizzle the remaining olive oil over and around the chicken.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken and serve immediately.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Poultry

Sticky chicken with sherry, almonds & dates

March 17, 2014February 8, 2016 Belinda

Tender, sticky roasted whole chicken legs coated in a lip-smacking glaze. Also ideal for feeding a crowd

Serves 8
3 tbsp olive oil
8 whole chicken legs (including the thigh)
2 large onions, chopped
15 garlic cloves, left whole in their skins
1 heaped tsp ground cumin (I roast mine)
8 fl oz (or 1 cup) sherry, like Manzanilla or Oloroso
zest and juice of 1 large lemon, plus extra zest to serve
3 oz whole blanched almonds, (I used Marcona) roughly chopped
12 large soft dates, like Medjool, pitted and chopped
2 oz pack flat -leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 400 F
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan.
Season the chicken then brown it on all sides.
Remove the chicken, place it in a large baking dish then set aside.
Add the remaining oil, onions and garlic to the pan and season.
Fry for 10 minutes until glden.
Stir in the cumin, sherry, lemon juice and zest. Bring to the boil then add the almonds, dates and half the parsley.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover with foil, then roast for 1 hour until tender, taking the foil off after 15 minutes of cooking.
Spoon the liquid over the chicken a couple of times during the roasting.
Serve piled up on a large platter with the sauce poured over, the garlic cloves, remaining parsley and some extra lemon zest.
This is lovely served with a nice, tasty quinoa or couscous dish

Do-ahead · Grains · Poultry

Mexican chicken bake

March 12, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

This is a super family-friendly meal, popular with everyone. All you need is a nice salad.

Serves 4
3/4 cup short or medium grain rice
1 1/2 cups canned red kidney beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed.
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
12-oz jar spicy taco sauce (I use the brand “La Victoria Red Taco Sauce – medium)
1/2 cup sliced black olives, optional
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 scallions, green part chopped for a garnish
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Lightly grease a deep, 9 inch ceramic baking dish.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the rice and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain.
In the prepared dish, combine the beans, 2 tbsp of the cilantro and some salt and pepper, then add the rice and toss together.
Lightly press the mixture into the rice and the mixture is flat.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and saute the chicken thighs for 5 minutes, then turn over.
Add the spicy taco sauce and cook for another 4 minutes.

To assemble, spread half the cheese over the rice.
Arrange the thighs and sauce on top in a star shape, sprinkle with sliced black olives and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, then sprinkle with cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned – remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.
Cut into four servings with a knife and scoop out carefully, keeping the layers intact.
Serve sprinkled with the remaining cilantro, chopped scallions and a dollop of sour cream.