Chicken Breasts with Parmesan and Baked Potatoes topcook.tomathouse.com
Ingredients:
- 700–900 g small potatoes
- 1 small red bell pepper, peeled and cut into strips
- 1 medium hot green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt and pepper
- 2 cups grated Parmesan, jarred – buy grated, not ground
- 4 (170-230 g each) skinless and boneless chicken breasts
- 4 plum tomatoes or small, very ripe regular tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 15-20 fresh basil leaves, stacked on top of each other, rolled into a tube and cut into strips
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Smaller ones can be left uncut, but larger ones should be cut into four pieces so they cook faster.
- Line a large baking sheet with foil. Arrange the potatoes. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with a thin layer of olive oil—you'll need 2-3 teaspoons. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the onions and peppers are crisp. Stir thoroughly halfway through cooking. When the vegetables are done, transfer them to a serving dish, remove the foil from the baking sheet, and discard—the baking sheet stays clean!
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the chicken. Lay out a sheet of waxed paper or foil near the stove. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat – it should be hot when you add the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese on the waxed paper or foil. Season the chicken with pepper, but do not add salt – the cheese is salty enough on its own. Place the chicken on the cheese and press down. Coat the chicken breasts with cheese on both sides. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and spread it over the surface. Place the chicken on each side and cook for 7 minutes, until the cheese forms a thick golden crust on the breasts.
- While the chicken is cooking, combine the chopped tomatoes and basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Shake off excess oil from the chicken breasts as you remove them from the pan. Top with tomatoes and basil and serve with baked potatoes, onions, and peppers.
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