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Tomato, chicken and olive traybake with basil oil
Prep 15 min Cook 40 min Serves 4-6
Ingredients
8-10 chicken thighs, on the bone and skin on
Salt and black pepper
6 large tomatoes (such as beef or oxheart)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 sprigs thyme
1 1⁄2 tbsp small capers
12 black olives stoned
1⁄2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
4 anchovies
5 tbsp olive oil
150g stale white bread, torn into large pieces
For the basil oil
1 large bunch each basil and parsley, leaves
4 anchovies
2 tsp capers
8 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Method
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Remove the chicken from the fridge, lay it on a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Leave out for half an hour.
Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into large chunks and transfer to your largest baking tray. Scatter the garlic cloves over the tomatoes, along with the thyme, capers, olives, chilli and three tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, mix with your hands, then roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and scatter the bread all around. Toss with the tomatoes and juices, then top with the chicken thighs. Drizzle the whole lot with the remaining two tablespoons of oil.
Roast for a further 25-30 minutes, turning the bread pieces over once or twice.
To make the basil oil,
Whiz all the ingredients together. If you want a looser consistency, add a few more slugs of olive oil. Taste and check for seasoning – it will be naturally salty so you may only need the smallest pinch of salt.
Once the thighs are golden and cooked through, transfer to a serving dish. Serve with a green salad and perhaps some cheese.
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