Chicken, Cherry Tomato & Olive Bake

Basically, you throw everything into the pan and bake. Incredibly easy, pretty, and delicious results. The ingredient measurements below are guestimates; use more or less, and make additions, depending upon your preferences and what you have at hand. (I’ve seen a similar recipe using grapes instead of cherry tomatoes!)

Tom pointed out that this dish has red in it, so it is appropriate for Valentine's Night. My Valentine's gift to you, dear NeuroCooking readers!


Ingredients

* olive oil
* pint of cherry tomatoes
* lemon zest
* salt and pepper
* chopped parsley
* minced herbs, if you have them around, such as thyme
* smoked paprika, if you have it
* about 8 skinless chicken breast thighs, drumsticks too, if you want
* 1 jar green olives, stuffed with garlic or peppers or lemon
* garlic, if you want, or did not use garlic-stuffed olives


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Grease a shallow roasting pan with olive oil
3. Put chicken in pan, fully covering bottom, and salt and pepper chicken (sprinkle paprika, if using)
4. Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, chopped parsley, and any other herbs. Chop garlic and add to mixture, or place garlic cloves around or under chicken pieces. Add enough oil so mixture can be thickly spooned onto chicken.
5. Sprinkle olives over herb-brushed chicken
6. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes over chicken (I like to salt the tomatoes)
7. Drizzle olive oil over olive- and tomato-covered chicken
8. Roast 40 to 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

Serve alone or over lightly buttered egg noodles with sauce from pan.