Tags
chicken, eric asimov, home cooking, mark bittman, recipe, Wine
Here we begin with the original version from Mark Bittman’s instructions:
Ingredient list:
Chicken breast, tomatoes, lemons, capers, olives, olive oil and basil
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 220 C. Combine 2 or 3 chopped tomatoes, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 teaspoon capers and a handful of olives.
- Lightly grease the pan with olive oil, then put the chicken in the pan and pour the tomato mixture over it.
- Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked through.
- Garnish: Chopped basil.
***
But suggest you extend the cooking and ingredients a little further with our adapted version
- Organic chicken leg and thigh (one piece per person)
- green olives (2-3 per piece per portion)
- capers (1 table spoon per portion)
- cherry tomatoes (3-4 per piece per portion)
- chicken stock (one pack for 2-3 persons)
- lemon (1 piece) use half for 2-3 portions
- white wine (1/2 to 1 cup)
- sea salt
- pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
- Rub chicken with lots of olive oil, season with sea salt and pepper
- chop the capers
- chop the olives
- slice the cherry tomato without halving them
- Squeeze lemon juice into small bowl
- Utensils you will need include a deep pan with lid or better cask iron casserole, dutch oven; you will need a thong, spatula, large spoon
Step 1
- Heat the pan to high heat; (ideally use one that is deep with a lid or use a cask iron casserole, dutch oven; hot is when a few drops of water sizzles quickly)
- Place the morsels skin-side down; it takes 3-4 minutes to brown (crispy), move gently so that the skin does not stick to pan (ref video here)
- Turn the morsels and move gentle for another 3-4 minutes
- (if you more pieces than the pan can fit; remove the first batch to rest and start again)
Step 2
- with the chicken in the pan, pour the stock, add the olives, capers and tomatoes
- reduce heat to simmer
- add 0.5 to 1 cup white wine
- make sure the liquid covers half of the thighs, not covering the skin
- season with lemon juice
- Close the lid almost entirely
- This slow braising will take roughly 45 min depending the size of the morsels
- If the liquid is evaporating you have two options. Either add more stock if the sauce needs more intensity or add pure water
- Check on liquids every once in a while and move the morsels around a little with a spoon
- Towards the end of cooking time, you can poke a sharp knife into thickest part of the leg, next to the bone and see if any blood is coming out; if the liquid is clear, the chicken is fully cooked. (Below photo is pan roasted in the oven; Bittman’s version)
Side dish
We enjoy eating this with any kind of salad and also sweet potatoes. Some grown here will do just fine, otherwise pick from Japan or the US.
- Poke the entire sweet potato with a fork
- Place in oven for 45-60 min at 180C
- When almost done the sugars on the skin start to caramelize
- Ready when sharp knife pokes in all the way
- Slice in half
