My Mediterranean ancestry contributes to my love of dishes that are simple yet bursting with flavor. The freshness of the tomatoes, fresh herbs, and lemon make the chicken amazing.
I serve this over pasta tossed with a little olive oil and a salad. It is a family favorite, easily. It smells wonderful while cooking as well and draws everyone to the kitchen asking what is for dinner and how soon it will be ready!
Another bonus is that the preparation is simple, there is little mess, and leftovers are divine on a salad. I am sure that you will love this as will anyone who is lucky to share this meal. It has a beautiful presentation fit to serve to dinner guests – they will think you labored for hours when you didn’t!
Ingredients
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. fresh oregano
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. paprika
4 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1 medium red onion
5 to 6 Campari tomatoes, or small Roma tomatoes, halved
Handful chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with oil or butter.
Pat chicken dry.
Place a chicken breast in a large zip-top bag and zip the top (make sure to release any air in the bag first), then place it on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet, pound to flatten the chicken.
Repeat the process with the remaining chicken breast pieces.
Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper on both sides and place in a large mixing bowl or dish.
Add spices, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice.
Combine and ensure the spices evenly coat each piece of chicken.
In the prepared baking dish, spread the onion slices on the bottom.
Arrange seasoned chicken on top, and then add the tomatoes.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 10 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or so. Watch carefully.
This bake time can take longer depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. To be sure the chicken fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of each chicken breast is 165° F.
Remove from the heat, Cover the chicken again with foil, and let the chicken breasts rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and basil. Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
• Pounding the Chicken: Do not skip pounding the chicken – you want an even thickness for the chicken to cook faster and more consistent. This also tenderizes the meat which means it will be juicer and tastier.
• Seasoning the Chicken: When flavoring the chicken, the first key is to be sure it is well seasoned. Start with salt and pepper on both sides. Then, layer more flavor using spices and aromatics – tap into your inventive mind and use seasoning that you love.
• Do not Overcook: When chicken is overcooked, it is no longer juicy and delicious. It gets tough and dry which is what you want to avoid. Keep your meat thermometer on hand during the last part of the cooking time and monitor until the chicken reaches 165° F. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are delicious but easily overcooked.
• Resting the Chicken: Always let the chicken rest before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute making the chicken juicier.
• Leftovers: Transfer any leftover chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.