Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes & Olives

Sun-dried tomatoes and olives

By Cat, March 2017 (photo, right, from Asado Argentina (2))

I’m getting tired of all my usual chicken recipes, so pulled down “365 Ways to Cook Chicken” recipe book from the shelf to see what might appeal to me. I wanted something with Mediterranean flavors using skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces; this one fit the bill. It is cooked on stove-top in a skillet, takes about 40 minutes, and serves 4. You can use a whole chicken cut up, or a mix of chicken pieces.

This is delicious – worthy of being served to guests.

Cat’s note: Until my food sensitivity to sun-dried tomatoes is cleared, I cannot eat this dish.

See also: 1. Poultry Menu; 2. Mediterranean Menu; 3. Olive Oil: The Real Deal, or Adulterated/Fake

Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes & Olives

I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for this recipe, a brined Greek olive mix (black and green), and garlic from my garden. I use either a whole cut up chicken (2 breasts, 2 legs and 2 wings), then save the other pieces for making chicken stock; or 4 thighs and two half-breast cut into 4 pieces.

For the olive oil, I use Spectrum Organic brand, or from a single California orchard, to ensure it is not mixed with cheap veggie oil. See my posting, Olive Oil: The Real Deal, or Adulterated/Fake for more about this issue.

For the olives, select them from an olive bar, or if that is not available, buy a container of brined olives (kept in a fridge at the grocer’s). I do not recommend canned olives for this recipe.

Ingredients & Equipment

  • Prep:
  • 1 whole 3-lb chicken, cut up, OR chicken pieces to serve 4 (see above), brined
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • ⅛ – ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 Organic lemon, sliced thinly
  • ¼ lb sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), sliced thinly lengthwise
  • 12 or more Italian or Greek brined olives, to taste, whole or sliced crosswise
  • fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • Cook:
  • 2 Tbsp real olive oil
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup dry white wine such as Vermouth
  • Equipment:
  • cast iron skillet or saucier, with lid
  • bowl for brining

Method

  1. Prep: peel garlic, mince fine, sprinkle with ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt, then press with side of knife blade until liquidy. Chop shallots fine and add to garlic.
  2. Wash lemon, then slice thinly, through peel and pulp. Slice sun-dried tomatoes thinly and add olives whole, or sliced crosswise; add to lemon slices.
  3. Chop parsley for a garnish and set aside.
  4. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on each side, 5-6 minutes per side. Add prepped garlic and shallots, and cook 2-3 minutes more.
  5. Pour wine over, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
  6. Add lemon, tomatoes and olives, and grind/sprinkle pepper over. Replace cover and simmer 10 minutes more, or as needed until chicken is tender and done.
  7. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.
  8. I like to serve with potato gnocchi.

Testing:

Testing 4/1/17: Made half-recipe using 4 thighs and 1 large half breast cut into 4 pieces. Used 1 medium garlic, 1 shallot, ½ lemon, 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil (weighed without the oil) and 8 olives. Also used 6 Tbsp (⅛ lb) Vermouth. Made as written, cooking chicken in olive oil over medium heat. However, I cooked it a bit longer after adding the lemon mix; total cooking time 45 minutes, then kept warm in 150F oven until  accompaniments were ready: potato gnocchi, braised broccoli and warmed leftover cooked beetroot. Result: Cooking with the lid on produces a lot of flavorful juices. This is absolutely delicious – a keeper recipe for sure.

References

  1. 365 Ways to Cook Chicken, by Cheryl Sedaker, © 1986 by John Boswell Management, Inc., and published by Harper and Row
  2. Asado ARgentina photo: asadoargentina.com/marinated-olives-sun-dried-tomatoes-and-roasted-red-peppers-recipe via flickr: farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3946882855_844549fc1e.jpg

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