Fall-apart Italian Baked Chicken

by bfbaker

 

Well, I began this post a few days ago and then life got all up in my face and distracted me. It started by talking about the turning weather, about balmy evenings and sunny afternoons. I now come to finish said post and find myself staring out at a grey, abysmally rainy, day with lots of people rushing past my window clutching umbrellas. There’s something lovely about a street of colourful umbrellas but I am glad to be currently sat in my nice warm lounge with Ina Garten on the TV.

However, no matter how vile it is outside, this baked chicken – which literally melts in your mouth – is a perfect Mediterranean meal that can help you fool yourself into thinking that you are in fact somewhere a little warmer (or, at least, that’s what I tell myself). I served this with some gorgeous pesto covered linguine, a tasty salad and lots of beautifully cold and crisp Prosecco.

Recipe

2 brown onions

3 cloves of garlic (crushed)

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

200ml balsamic vinegar

A handful of fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

4/5 pieces of chicken (I used breasts but any cut would be beautiful)

1. Preheat oven to 160.

2. Chop and sauté the onions until translucent, then add in the garlic.

3. Pop your chicken into the pan and sear on all sides, then place to one side into your baking tray. You want a nice deep baking tray or it’ll all be spilling everywhere.

4. De-glaze your pan with the balsamic, getting all those beautiful flavours involved. Then add your basil, oregano, salt and pepper and tinned tomatoes. Allow to simmer away for ten minutes.

5. Pour your sauce on top of the chicken, and cover the tray with tin foil. Place in the oven for 2 hours, then whack up the oven to 200 for the final 10 minutes and enjoy!