August 6-Mediterranean Baked Chicken

Whenever I need inspiration, I turn to Pinterest. This week while contemplating what to make for dinner, I found this recipe by The Clever Carrot. 

The flavor in this dish is phenomenal! I savored every bite. Thanks for the inspiration!

Mediterranean Baked Chicken

Original Recipe by Emilie at The Clever Carrot

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 14oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, reserving 2-3 tbsp of marinade for later

4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves stripped (I used dried oregano)

2 small red onions, thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, left whole

1 14oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

1 small tub marinated bocconcini (I couldn't find bocconcini at my local supermarket, so I substituted this for 6oz fresh mozzarella cheese)

olive oil

salt & pepper

basil & parsley

1. Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving about 2-3 tbsp juice in a small bowl or gallon ziplock bag. Set artichokes aside. In the bowl, combine garlic and oregano leaves. Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch strips and add to the marinade. Mix well to coat. The original recipe suggests marinating the chicken for 1 hour minimum, 3 hours maximum. My chicken marinated all day while I was at work and it still turned out great.

2. Preheat oven to 400. In a large roasting pan, add sliced onions and tomatoes. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until onions are soft and tomatoes begin to burst, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat 1 tsp of olive oil over moderate heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, working in batches. The chicken will be a little undercooked.

4. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. The onions should be somewhat soft. If not, bake additional 5 minutes.

5. Add chicken, artichoke hearts, beans, and olives to the pan. Roast about 5-7 minutes or until chicken is done. 

6. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with basil, parsley, and cheese.