Description
Savory jamie oliver chicken and aubergine fuses Mediterranean flavors with robust spices. Rustic ingredients blend seamlessly, creating an authentic dish that connects home cooks with Italian culinary traditions you’ll enjoy preparing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole free-range chicken, 1.4 kg/3.1 lbs, jointed
- 3 aubergines (eggplants), 750g/26.5 oz
- 2 red onions
- 200g/7 oz ripe cherry tomatoes
- 4 sprigs of fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay)
- 4 sprigs of fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 small fresh red chilies
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 50g/1.8 oz baby capers in brine
- 50g/1.8 oz pine nuts
- 2 lemons
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preparation: Salt aubergines and let them rest to eliminate excess moisture, then pat dry with paper towels to enhance flavor absorption and texture.
- Searing: Heat skillet to medium-high, massage chicken with olive oil, and sear until achieving a rich golden-brown exterior, creating a flavorful foundation for the dish.
- Vegetable Infusion: In the same skillet, sauté aubergines until lightly golden and slightly softened, developing deep caramelized notes while maintaining a tender consistency.
- Aromatic Base: Reduce heat and introduce garlic, red chilies, cinnamon, herbs, and capers, creating a complex flavor profile that will permeate the entire dish.
- Caramelization: Add onions and cook until translucent with delicate caramelized edges, intensifying the overall depth of flavor.
- Assembly: Reunite chicken and aubergines in the skillet, incorporating diced tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and a vibrant splash of lemon juice for brightness.
- Liquid Integration: Pour water to ensure proper moisture, distribute ingredients evenly, and create a harmonious cooking environment.
- Oven Transformation: Transfer skillet to a preheated 180 degrees Celsius oven, baking for 45 minutes until chicken becomes supremely tender with a crisp, golden surface.
- Finishing Touch: Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve alongside Mediterranean-style couscous, presenting a visually appealing and aromatic culinary experience.
Notes
- Dehydrate Aubergines: Salting draws out moisture, preventing soggy texture and ensuring crispy, golden edges during cooking.
- Sear Chicken Properly: Achieve a golden-brown crust by using high heat and avoiding overcrowding in the skillet for maximum flavor development.
- Caramelize Onions Slowly: Medium-low heat transforms onions into sweet, rich flavor bombs that enhance the overall dish complexity.
- Oven-Baking Technique: Covering skillet in oven allows ingredients to meld together, creating a deeply infused Mediterranean-style one-pot wonder with tender chicken and perfectly cooked vegetables.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour1
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg