Italian chicken bake with herb vinaigrette
This is an extremely popular recipe from my third book, Homemade Happiness. You can either dress it up for a special occasion (using the fresh mozzarella, basil, Parmesan, balsamic and a fancy garlic bread) or just keep it basic for a cosy night in with the family. Either way it’s absolutely delicious. The slightly smushed potatoes do a nice job of soaking up the tomato juice and vinaigrette – it’s a dish loaded with flavour! I always try and use skin-on chicken as it tastes much better, but you can choose. When tomatoes are in season, cheap and very ripe, you can use them instead of or as well as the tinned. Serves 4.
Ingredients
8-10 chicken thighs, legs or drumsticks (preferably free-range)
600g floury potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
1 x 400g can whole (or cherry/baby) tomatoes, drained and halved
Handful cherry tomatoes
Handful chopped fresh or regular mozzarella (optional)
Vinaigrette
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
To serve (optional for a fancy treat)
Freshly grated Parmesan
Fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar
Method
Preheat oven to 210c fan bake.
Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters and place in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until just underdone. Drain, then replace the pot back over a low heat for a few minutes to evaporate any excess moisture. Drizzle with a little olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Lightly crush each piece with a fork to crumble it up just a little bit. Season with salt and pepper.
Coat chicken with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a little oil in the frying pan over a high heat (if you have an ovenproof frying pan, use this. If not just use a standard frying pan and transfer everything to a casserole dish later.) When the pan is nice and hot, add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook for about 5 minutes or until it’s crispy and golden. Turn over and cook for another few minutes. It doesn’t need to be cooked through – this will happen in the oven. The brown crust will add great flavour.
To make the herb vinaigrette, you can either combine all the ingredients using a mortar and pestle, mini-food processor, or just chop everything finely as possible and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
In either your ovenproof pan or a baking dish, arrange the tomatoes and potatoes around the chicken pieces. Drizzle with the vinaigrette all over. Bake uncovered in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and potatoes golden on top.
With around 10 minutes to go, scatter the mozzarella on top.
To serve, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, basil and a splash of balsamic vinegar if you like. Serve with garlic bread and a fresh green salad.
Love this recipe Chelsea, it wins every time! My husband can’t have potatoes so I thought I might try with sweet potato…any reason this wouldn’t work?
That should work fine x
Hello, if using bone in meat it takes longer than the recipe says…I cooked it at 200 fan grill for 20 odd mins and chicken still pink in the middle.
This is one of the yummiest dishes I have ever tasted! It has all my favourite things in it! Thank you Chelsea- another winner!
This recipe is my new addiction. I mop up the pan juices and crunchy bits with garlic bread. I’m going to make garlic bread with the herb vinegarette
I made this and it was delicious but quite watery. What could I have done wrong?! Potatoes were drained when they went in?
Next time have the oven up a little higher in temp, and use a bigger dish – that should do it!
Hi Chelsea! I love your recipes :) I’m just wondering – could I use haloumi cheese in place of the mozzarella or would it not work the same? Thanks!
Yes you could!
Chelsea – this is my first ever attempt at your dishes and I am adoring it. My two and one year old helped make everything and I am so happy with the results. Guess I’ll be heading out to buy Homemade Happiness tomorrow. Thano you for all the love you clearly inject into your recipes.
In oven now smells delish. Can’t wait to try yummo
Another favourite to add to my Chelsea Winter list! I made this last night after seeing it in the new cook book and it was delicious. I have fussy eaters but they all loved it with my youngest even saying this is her favourite dinner I’ve made. So easy to do.
Made this last night and it was delicious! I used balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar (I was working with what I had) and added a splash of red wine to the vinaigrette to give it that flavour. I ran out of regular olive oil part-way through so used chilli-infused olive oil from then on. I also added a handful of green olives to the dish before baking. Such a customisable recipe! I think next time I will add a little chilli and maybe thick chunks of courgette.
Hi Chelsea, can I use boneless chicken breasts for this?
Yes but they may dry out a little.
Made this again, second time in a few weeks. Absolutely delicious! Thinking about adding olives next time, what are your thoughts about olives with this dish?
That would be nice!
Made this for my partner and his brother and everyone really enjoyed it. Was easy to prepare and more than delicious to eat. I too served it with salad and garlic bread. Will definately be making this again and have passed the recipe on so others can enjoy it as well. Thanks Chelsea
This looks yum-cant wait to try it.just wondering-if you dont have the red or white wine vinegar,what can you use instead?
Wow this recipe was awesome! My 1 year old & fussy 2 year old both ate it all. Will definitely be done many times
This was simply delicious! will definitely make it again! Super easy too!
Hi Chelsea
I have both of your books, but I cannot see this recipe in either?
It’s in Homemade Happiness :)
Great recipe, tastes awesome. One of our winter favourites.
Just a tip, just misspelled “bulb of garlic” in the recipe ????
Used a bit of lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Gave it a nice tang and heat. Beautiful with or without it however
I came home from work today to find my husband preparing this dish. He likes to cook new things on his days off and this is the one he’d chosen. We cooked together and have to say, it was so simple we didn’t argue once :) It smelled delicious in the oven and was divine to eat. A great family meal!
Hi Chelsea, I’m really don’t like tomatoes! Strange I know, just wondering if you have a suggestion of an alternative ingredient? Thanks heaps.
You can just leave them out!
Great dish just loved it and so quick and eaxy tl make. Thanks
Hi there,
is this dish better done in a frypan size dish in the oven or a deep cast iron casserole pot? Does it make any difference?
I have a WMF Pan that can go in the oven or the cast iron pot, not sure which to use?
Thanks
Liz
Hi Liz, either is fine!
mine is also in the oven here in the UK, smells lush!
This is in the oven as I type smells devine! Can not wait to taste it.
Do you think you could do this with something other than potatoes? Ie Quinoa, Couscous, some other kind of starch besides potato? Polenta? I’m not a huge potato fan but it sounds delicious!
You could just leave the potatoes out altogether and yes, perhaps serve with a little pasta or polenta!
I’m vegetarian and whenever I see a recipe with chicken I make it with chickpeas instead, I’m going to try this tomorrow with my homemade mozarella, can’t wait
The meal sounds lovely. Does it freeze well?
you’re my food hero Chelsea!
Could this be done in a slow cooker?
Yes it could.
I made this dish for dinner tonight for the second time, needless to say it was as good as the first time we tried it! We used drum sticks instead of thighs, thanks again Chelsea!
I made this the other day and it was really great! The vinaigrette added a really lovely intense flavour and I will definitely be making it again soon :) Thanks Chelsea for sharing your gorgeous, simple but fancy food with us!
This was the first attempt at a Chelsea Winter recipe. I echo what others say…simple and delicious and turn lousy cooks like me into masterchefs :) I’m sold
I made this recipe this evening, delicious, great flavours and I will be making it again :-)