Roast Chicken Breasts With Caramelized Lemons Cherry Tomatoes And Olives Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the lemon curd with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• To butterfly the chicken, place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting on either side of the backbone. (Save the backbone for stock.) Flip the chicken, setting it breast side up, and flatten by pressing firmly in the center; you should hear a crack.
• Pat chicken dry. Season the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Use the handle of a fork or spoon to loosen the skin from the chicken breasts and thighs (you'll find openings at their tops).
• Spread about three-quarters of the lemon curd between the skin and meat. Use your fingers to massage the curd around so it spreads out under the skin. Spread the rest of the lemon curd in a thin layer all over the chicken skin. Drizzle with the olive oil.
• Pour 3/4 cup water into a large (at least 12-inch) oven-safe skillet, shallow roasting pan or sheet pan. (The water keeps the pan drippings from burning and keeps the chicken moist.) Add the chicken, skin side up. Tuck the wings under to prevent burning and turn the legs so the thighs face up. Roast until a thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour, starting to check the chicken at 30 minutes. If at any point it starts getting too brown, cover it with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces (3 if they weigh 12 ounces or more) and place in the bowl. Stir together and refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels (discard marinade). Place two sheets of plastic wrap (1 large sheet if you have extra-wide wrap) on your work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. (Don't pound too hard or you'll tear the meat. If that happens it won't be the end of the world, you'll just have a few pieces to cook.) Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces.
• Season the pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side only. Dredge lightly in the flour (you will not use all of it) and tap the breasts to remove excess.
• Turn oven on low. Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan - however many will fit without crowding. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until bottom is browned in spots. Turn over and brown other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. (Do not overcook or chicken will be dry.) Transfer to a platter or sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. If there is more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour some off into a jar or bowl.
• Turn heat on burner down to medium-high. Add wine to pan and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring often or tossing in the pan, until they begin to shrivel and burst. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook, tossing the tomatoes in the pan and stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes have collapsed but are still intact. Top chicken breasts with the tomatoes, sprinkle with parsley and with Parmesan if using, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet or shallow Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Thoroughly pat the chicken very dry and sprinkle with the salt. Place skin-side down in the skillet and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Flip the chicken over. Add the lemon halves, olives, tomatoes and thyme to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry, make sure they are very dry, and sprinkle the top with the salt. Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, in the heated oil and sear for 5 minutes, or until skin is crisp and golden brown. Flip the chicken over. Add the lemon, olives, tomatoes and thyme to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. *The chicken breasts I used were 3/4 pound each.

Steps:

• In a shallow baking dish combine two tablespoons of the olive oil with half the garlic, the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts, turning them in the dish so they are coated with the marinade. Arrange them in a single layer in the dish, cover with plastic wrap and allow them to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Heat the remaining oil in a skillet. Add onion and remaining garlic and saute until tender but not brown. Add tomatoes and olives and allow to cook about 15 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in half the parsley and the thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread the tomato mixture over the marinated chicken breasts. Place in oven and bake about 20 minutes, until the chicken is done. Remove from oven and baste to combine juices in bottom of the pan with the tomato mixture on top. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.

Steps:

• Finely chop the stalks from a 20g pack basil and shred most of the leaves. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan, then soften 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves and the basil stalks for 3 mins.
• Tip in 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and the shredded basil. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 mins until reduced and saucy. Season. Add a handful olives, the sliced meat from a whole cooked chicken and any juices. Gently stir. Simmer for 2 mins, scatter with basil leaves, then serve with crusty bread.