Sunday, December 14, 2014

Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes

We had five large chicken thighs left from a package of ten and I wanted to try one of the recipes I’d been saving from Pam’s, For The Love Of Cooking blog – her Mediterranean Chicken.  Since the oven was being used, I also wanted to try the Pizza Potato recipe from Cathy at Noble Pig but since I wanted everything to be Greek, I didn’t use the pizza seasoning.  I also wanted to keep both dishes simpler by using Cavender’s rather than the herbs and spices in the recipes.  Please stop by their sites for the original recipes and good photos.

Mediterranean Chicken Adapted from For The Love Of Cooking

Ingredients:
5 bone-in chicken thighs
To taste – Cavenders Seasoning
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cups of grape tomatoes, all we had on hand
1 cup of Greek olives
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced (I used a little more than the recipe called for)
1 tbsp capers
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Trim thighs to remove extra skin and fat, peel back the skin from the top and add seasoning to the top and bottom sides, then replace skin and season top of it.




3. Heat the two teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down and cook until skin side is golden brown then flip. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes to brown the bottom.
4. While the chicken is cooking, combine the tomatoes, olives, onion, capers, sliced garlic, and more Cavender’s, to taste, in a small bowl then drizzle with remaining olive oil and toss to mix well.
5. Place the chicken pieces, skin side up, into the prepared baking dish then surround the chicken with the vegetable mixture. 


6. Place into the oven and bake until chicken is cooked through – 180*F for thighs. 
7. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.


Pizza Potatoes Adapted from Noble Pig

Ingredients:
2 lbs baby potatoes, any color, sliced in half lengthwise
1-1/2  Tablespoons olive oil
To taste Cavender’s
To taste – S&P
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Heaping 1/4 cup mini pepperoni (or chopped regular – what we had on hand)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Add potatoes and drizzle olive oil right on potatoes, followed by seasoning, salt and cheese.  Use your hands to completely coat your potatoes well with the mixture.
3. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
4. Remove from the oven and immediately add pepperoni, stirring carefully. Serve right away.


I really enjoyed both dishes and would definitely make them again with two exceptions:
1. I would use the herbs and spices that either Pam or Cathy used on both dishes as neither of ours were as flavorful as we would have liked by using the Cavender’s.  I should have known better than tinker with recipes from these two great cooks.
2. I would deal with the skin differently and either remove it or cook it crispier in the skillet then keep it exposed during the baking process so it will stay crisp.

Thanks ladies for an excellent meal.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

12/7/14 event date

13 comments:

  1. Very colorful and festive dish Larry. I haven't thought of Cavenders in years. My dad used to use it in place of salt in his salads.
    Sam

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  2. Very yummy looking thanks for sharing with us.

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  3. Both recipes look delicious, Larry. I have tried many of Pam's recipes and always enjoy them. I always use chicken thighs because of the way they absorb the flavors of the seasonings. Happy Holidays.

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  4. I think using thighs is a great idea and if I didn't need to use up those breasts I would have made this recipe with thighs too. Thanks for the link & shout out... what a great way to start the week. I need to try those potatoes - they look FANTASTIC!

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  5. I had to smile at what you said about tinkering :) Sounds like a great combination of flavors!

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  6. It all looks and sounds delicious, Larry! My kind of food. I have Cavender's in the back of the cabinet and will have to get it out and use it more. Those potatoes rule!

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  7. That is one pretty dish. I would get to eat the whole dish literally because Ms. Goofy does not like eyeballs (her olive term). Her loss my gain.

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  8. I'm such a caper/olive/chicken thigh fan, this is a must try for me. Pinned.

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  9. It looks like a great meal. I love chicken thighs; they have so much flavor!

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  10. This dish is calling my name. I have boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the freezer that I think would work in this recipe.

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  11. Wow, that is just loaded with flavor!

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