This super quick chicken recipe is fancy enough for dinner guests, though admittedly probably a bit to spicy for children. My friend Dr. Ruth, no not that Dr. Ruth – this one is a professor at UT, recommended her version adapted from an old issue of Bon Appetit. I adapted the herbs further to my taste and what I keep on hand. As with all things, I’m certain fresh oregano in the place of my dried oregano would be much better! Just be sure to use quite a bit more of the fresh herb – like 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano.
Roasting the cherry tomatoes allows them to absorb the heat from the chili flakes and the flavor from the garlic an the herbs. The resulting pan sauce is delicious mopped up with a crusty french bread, but I’d love it served over a garlic mashed potatoes as well. I served the dish with lentils and a spinach salad, it made a colorful presentation and was all completely finished in 45 minutes with a lot of idle time! Enjoy!
Spicy Chicken with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Oregano Recipe
serves 4
4 bone in split breasts
2 bags cherry tomatoes (next time I’ll try grape tomatoes!), whole, washed, and stemmed
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 and 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 turns fresh ground pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
Preheat oven to 450. In a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish, place the four split breasts evenly spaced. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with a sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper, then pour tomato mixture over the top. Roast in oven for about 40 minutes, until an internal temperature of 170.
Enjoy!