Absolutely the Easiest One-Pot Meal You'll Ever Make
Remember that thing, in that post, that I promised to show you how to make? Ha! Since summer is racing to its finish, I thought now would be the best time to finally make good on that. If you're looking for an easy, nutritious dinner to prepare, this simple, yet hearty one pot chicken meal will hit the spot. It's this week's Friday Fix.
"What took you so long", you ask? Well, just as the title of this post reveals, the recipe is so simple that extensive instructions really weren't necessary. Hence it took me some time to figure out exactly how I could keep my word and still deliver it in a way that was elegant, smart and respectable. Allow me to unfold my fulfillment of this long-awaited vow slowly.
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How to Make a One-Pot Tomato Basil Lemon Chicken Dinner
Several months back, while desperately seeking a diversion from my grueling website switch, I stumbled across a site, which can only be described as a food lover's paradise: Food52. Instantly my love of food - well though out, guuud food - was reignited.
It was there that I found the quick and easy baked chicken recipe, which I ultimately modifed to suit my own tastes. The original can be found here. Below, however, is my own take on it. The best part is that although it mentions lemon in the subtitle, there's actually no lemon in it. Keep reading and it will be come clear why. For your convenience, all of my personal modifications have been marked with an asterisk ("*").
What You'll Need
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 pinch kosher* salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 big bunch fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks coarsely* chopped
- 2 big handfuls red and yellow tomatoes (I also used beefsteek, roma and tomatoes on the vine)* quartered
- 1 whole bulb garlic, broken into cloves
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes*
- 1 splash olive oil
- 114.5-ounce/410 g can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1/4 c pinot grigio (or other dry white wine)
- 1 large bunch of lemon balm, picked and shredded* (See, I told you there was no lemon in it)
- 1/4 tsp of Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute Blend*
My secret ingredient to heightening the flavor in this and many other homemade dishes is lemon balm. I haven't quite figured out a way to get my hands on this herb during the winter months. But during the summer (when it's plentiful) I literally add it to every dish I make. It enhances the flavor of everything- even salads.
The important thing to keep in mind with this dish is to not complicate matters. Simply:
- Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper place them in a pan in one layer, skin side up. Toss in all the other ingredients and mix with your hands, remembering to push the tomatoes underneath.
- Place in the oven, uncovered, for 1.5 hours, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat is falling off the bone.
As I was mulling over this post, it suddenly dawned on me that it has been an awfully long time since I've hosted a giveaway. It's the perfect way to say "thanks" to all of you for continuing to follow me during the blog revamp. And since Food52 has a great lineup of recipes, home decor and fine food ingredients, it only made sense to award 2 $25 gift certificates to two readers.
No, it's not much. But if you win, it will be slightly more than what you had before, right? Subscribers to this blog are automatically entered. For everyone else, see the chart below for how to qualify.
The giveaway is open until Wednesday, August 15th. Winners will be announced Friday, August 17, 2018. Bonne chance and happy cooking!
