Sundays in my life are quite often reserved for running errands and being lazy. Laundry is acceptable, groceries are acceptable (since I enjoy grocery shopping) and decorating for Christmas, especially since we’re now in December. Anything beyond that seems to be over achieving to me. This Sunday it was cold and sunny so we also managed to squeeze in a long walk with the puppy. When we got back from walking and playing fetch I made some lunch and proceeded to curl up in a blanket on the couch for some much needed foodtv watching.

 

I didn’t used to particularly like Jamie Oliver but lately he has been really growing on me. He has a quirky sense of humour and makes such simple stuff. Jamie Oliver’s 30 min meals inspired me to come up with my own rustic unfussy meal. I tried to remember the measurements as best as I could but in true Jamie fashion, I tossed things in without thinking twice.

 

Ingredients

 

  • 3-4 chicken breasts
  • 1-2 pounds nugget potatoes chopped (or fingerling)
  • ½ pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1-2 shallots finely chopped
  • Handful of whole garlic cloves (I used ¾ of a head)
  • Squish of lemon (which I forgot but I think would add some lovely acidity)
  • 5-6 sprigs of thyme (you could add rosemary as well and oregano, but I am all out)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano (since I didn’t have fresh)
  • 2 tsp dried Rosemary
  • 3-5 slices of prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven proof pot pour in about 3 tbsp olive oil, chicken stock, wine, shallots, garlic, lemon, oregano, thyme, rosemary and potatoes. Cook for about 15 min to get a head start on cooking the potatoes.

While potatoes are cooking heat a large skillet with a swig of olive oil. Once the oil it hot sear chicken breasts on both sides for about 2-3 min. They should still be pink inside because we’re finishing them in the oven.

Take potatoes out of the oven, stir in chopped tomatoes and place chicken on top.  Salt and pepper chicken and lie prosciutto over the chicken. Put back in the oven and cook for another 10 min or so, until chicken is done and prochitto is nicely crisp. Potatoes should also be done at this point. Serve.

 

 

This really couldn’t have been any easier. It’s the perfect one pot meal that isn’t a casserole or results in unsatisfied groans from the family.  The chicken turns out tangy from the sauce but has a nice savoury flavour from the prosciutto and the crispiness adds some much needed texture. The potatoes are also amazing. There is nothing better than a lemony, herby olive oily potato. Yum!