The humble chicken breast – a classic staple in any student’s fridge. A lot of students are probably guilty of not being very adventurous when cooking a chicken breast. This means that the result can often be rather bland. Chicken is one of the leanest choices when it comes to meat, providing an excellent source of protein. It is therefore incredibly important to cook the chicken carefully with flavours that compliment it. I can guarantee that this marinade will bring together the dish perfectly, and provide you with an excellent balance of flavours that will be sure to tantalise your taste buds! Bon appétit!
Ingredients:
For the chicken marinade:
1 chicken breast
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic puree
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the rest of the dinner:
1 sweet potato
¼ punnet of mushrooms
¼ punnet of cherry tomatoes
A sprinkle of rosemary
A drizzle of olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Equipment:
Small frying pan
Bowl
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Peeler
Baking tray
Small Pyrex dish
Tongs
Method:
I always butterfly my chicken breasts. Butterflying the chicken breast creates a consistent thickness, which means that it will cook more evenly.
- Place the chicken breast on the chopping board and use the knife to slice one side of the chicken breast. It’s easier to start at the thicker end. Open up the chicken breast – it should look like a butterfly!
- To make the marinade, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, rosemary and cayenne pepper in a bowl and add the garlic puree, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well until an even consistency is achieved.
- Rub the marinade into the chicken and rest the chicken in the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and place the bowl in the fridge. I usually marinate my chicken the night before I cook it so the flavours in the marinade have plenty of time to unlock and make the chicken extremely flavoursome!
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Peel the sweet potato and cut off the ends. Use a knife to cut the potato from the end into small rounds of about a centimetre in thickness.
- Place the rounds on an oiled baking tray, toss the rounds in rosemary and season well with salt and pepper.
- Bake the rounds for 25 minutes. Make sure you turn the rounds halfway through cooking.
- Place the mushrooms and tomatoes in the Pyrex dish and toss in olive oil and rosemary.
- Roast the mushrooms and tomatoes for about 20 minutes.
- Heat up a drizzle of olive oil in the small frying pan over a medium heat.
- Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side, using the tongs to press the chicken into the pan.
- Serve the chicken with the sweet potato rounds and the mushrooms and tomatoes. Winner winner, chicken dinner!
Rosa Morgan
Images courtesy of Rosa Morgan.
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