Chicken Margherita ( small batch)

 

I had taken a chicken breast out of the freezer the other nice to use and wanted to do something different with it.  I know I could have just coated it in crumbs and baked it or poached it, etc. but I really was in the mood for something delicious.  I also wanted quick and easy. (I don't ask for much, lol)

I discovered this quick and easy recipe for Chicken Margherita on a page called One Dish Kitchen.  It looked to fulfil all of my requirements and I pretty much had everything I needed in the house with a few exceptions that I knew I could easily substitute for what I did have and so I decided to go with it!

 

Chicken breasts are a really beautiful canvas for a host of textures and flavors. It is also very lean as well, so you really do need to make sure that you cook it perfectly without overcooking it or it can end up dry and tasteless.  This recipe had the perfect timing for perfectly cooked chicken breast.

It also went together very quickly and easily, and most important of all, it turned out delicious!

Chicken was quite expensive when I was growing up and not something we had very often. Occasionally my mother would roast a chicken, and on a rare occasion she would cook chicken breasts for us in the Maryland style.  She called it Maryland Fried Chicken and we loved it.

The chicken would be dipped in egg and then crushed cracker crumbs before  being fried to golden perfection in butter.  It was some delicious!  Of course she never made it near often enough for us. It is something we all look back on these days with extreme fondness. What I wouldn't give to be able to taste some of my mother's Maryland Fried Chicken today.  I surely do miss her . . .  

Chicken breasts are also quite pricey these days, especially if you buy quality ones.  It stands to reason that you want to cook them in the best way possible and this is a really great recipe to do just that!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHICKEN MARGHERITA

Just a few simple ingredients and you are well on your way to having an incredibly delicious supper entree to enjoy!  Quantities are for one serving but can easily be multiplied to serve more if you wish.

For the chicken:

• oil spray to butter the baking dish
• 1 (6 oz/170g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Basil Pesto
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 slice Italian Provolone cheese

For the lemon garlic drizzle:

• 1 TBS butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 TBS chopped parsley

 

If you are not a fan of oil spray, by all means use olive oil or butter to grease the baking dish with. My dish was 5 by 7 inches in size.

My chicken breast was a bit larger than the size called for in the recipe. It took an additional 10 minutes to cook through.  Do beware that a larger piece of chicken will take longer and that the chicken is not done until the juices run clear and the internal temperature is 165*F/74*C.  

Any good quality jarred pesto will work. I used Felippo Berio  Classic Pesto. It has a lovely robust favor. I am not usually a fan of pesto but this one is quite nice and the one I usually buy if I am buying a pesto.

 

The original recipe called for mozzarella cheese. I did not have any of that, but I did have some sliced provolone and it worked beautifully as you can see. It has wonderful melting properties and a  lovely flavor that I enjoyed.

My sister had given me a large bucket of cherry tomatoes from her garden which worked well in this. They had a beautiful sweetness. You can also use baby plum tomatoes, or grape tomatoes.

I used salted butter. I did not have fresh parsley, but there are these little pots of semi-dried parsley that is sold in the chiller section of my grocery store, which is what I used instead. The fresh herbs are not always available here and when you can find them, they are often sub-standard.

 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MARGHERITA

You will be really pleased with how quickly this simple chicken entree comes together. It is packed with delicious flavors!

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a small baking dish. Lay the chicken breast in the dish and season lightly with salt and black pepper.

Spoon the basil pesto over top of the chicken. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the chicken in the dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Check the inner temperature of the chicken. It should reach 165*F/74*C.

 

Remove from the oven and place the slice of cheese on top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes longer to melt the cheese.

While the cheese is melting, place the butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it melts and begins to foam add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. (about 30 seconds or so.) Add the lemon juice and parsley. Cook for a further minutes. Remove from the heat.

Serve the chicken hot with the butter sauce drizzled over top. Delicious!

Notes

If your chicken breast is larger than the recommended size it will take longer to cook. Mine was quite a large one and it took a further 10 minutes to come to the right internal temperature.

 

I am not usually a huge fan of pesto, but it works really well in this simple, yet delicious recipe.  The chicken came out really tender and juicy and the flavors were spot on!  I loved the meltiness of the cheese combined with the sweetness of the tomatoes and the savory flavors of the chicken.

All in all a brilliant combination. I enjoyed with some steamed rice and was really pleased with this meal.  I think you will enjoy it as well!

 

I eat a lot of chicken, specifically chicken breasts. They are a lean and healthy source of protein and are very adaptable to other flavors and textures. Here are a few other ways that I like to enjoy them!

PAN ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH THYME - I have used boneless, skin-on chicken breasts for this, but thighs would also work well. You can also use bone in or boneless skinless chicken, but the cook times would need adjusting. These are simple to make, moist and delicious with a crisp skin and beautiful flavor.

CREAMY LEMON CHICKEN - Tender and juicy chicken breasts with a lush lemon sauce. With a few simple ingredients and about 45 minutes in time from start to finish you can be eating this incredibly tasty dish, and with a few tweaks it can also be relatively low in fat and calories. With lemon juice, parmesan cheese and some cream or evaporated milk, this is pure and simple deliciousness.

Yield: One serving

Author: Marie Rayner

Chicken Margherita

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 25 Min

This chicken comes out tender and juicy and filled with beautiful flavors. I recommend serving it with rice or pasta. Quick, easy and delicious works for me every time! Don't skip the Lemon Garlic Drizzle sauce at the end. Its fabulous!

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• oil spray to butter the baking dish
• 1 (6 oz/170g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Basil Pesto
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 slice Italian Provolone cheese

For the lemon garlic drizzle:

• 1 TBS butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 TBS chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a small baking dish. Lay the chicken breast in the dish and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
2. Spoon the basil pesto over top of the chicken. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the chicken in the dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Check the inner temperature of the chicken. It should reach 165*F/74*C.
4. Remove from the oven and place the slice of cheese on top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes longer to melt the cheese.
5. While the cheese is melting, place the butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it melts and begins to foam add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. (about 30 seconds or so.) Add the lemon juice and parsley. Cook for a further minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Serve the chicken hot with the butter sauce drizzled over top. Delicious!

Notes

If your chicken breast is larger than the recommended size it will take longer to cook. Mine was quite a large one and it took a further 10 minutes to come to the right internal temperature.

Did you make this recipe?

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