Best Chicken Breasts With Cherry Tomatoes Zucchini And Olives Recipes

PAN SEARED CHICKEN WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• For the chicken: Using a meat mallet, evenly pound the chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness. Put the chicken into a heavy resealable bag or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the oil, parsley, shallots and garlic; sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and mix in the bag or toss in the baking dish until the chicken is coated in the marinade. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the oil to drain. (It's ok if some of the garlic and shallots still cling to the chicken.) Discard the marinade.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large (12- to 14-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken breasts, 2 at a time, being sure to space them out in the skillet. (Avoid over-crowding, or you won't get a good sear.) Sear until light golden on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Cook the remaining 2 chicken breasts, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Reserve the skillet for the sauce.
• For the pan sauce: In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil if using and the garlic; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Pour out all but 2 tablespoons oil from the skillet. If the skillet is dry and more oil is needed, add about 2 tablespoons. Over medium heat, add the olives and shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet. Whisk in the chicken broth and any pan juices the chicken released on the platter and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the mustard, add the seasoned tomatoes and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Spoon the sauce over the chicken on the platter, garnish with chopped herbs if using and serve immediately with the Winter Greens Salad on the side if desired.
• Put the arugula, frisee and radicchio into a salad bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle the vinegar over the greens and toss until coated; drizzle the oil over the top and toss again. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHERRY TOMATOES, ZUCCHINI AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally. 6 minutes or until lightly browned; add shallot; stir 1 minute or until soft.
• Add tomatoes, olives and rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until tomatoes are hot BUT not collasped; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, transfer to plate.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; season chicken breast with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper; cook turning once, 8 minutes or until browned on both sides and firm when pressed in center; transfer to a plate; keep warm.
• Add wine to skillet and bring to a boil, return vegetables; cook 1 minute, stirring once or twice to reheat; transfer to platter; top with chicken breast and serve.

BAKED CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat egg, water, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Set 2 tablespoons bread crumbs aside; pour remaining bread crumbs into a large resealable plastic bag. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then place in bag and shake to coat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in skillet until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet; cook and stir zucchini and garlic over medium heat until zucchini is slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons reserved bread crumbs over zucchini. Top with tomato slices, 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and basil. Place chicken on top of zucchini layer. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH OLIVES AND TOMATOES

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.

LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

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.