Infornata di pollo con origano e pomodori (Chicken, oregano and tomato bake)

This dish is quintessential Italian.

It’s a peasant, rustic assembly of fresh ingredients mixed with left-overs and brought together by the crisp dryness of white wine.

It’s a dish that appeals to children and grown-ups alike and is therefore the perfect family meal.

I normally make this when I have left-over boiled potatoes and stale bread, but you can decide to boil your potatoes especially for this dish  and to use some fresh bread. Either way, it will be delicious!

Ingredients for 4 people

• a couple of handfuls of chunks of rustic bread
• 3 potatoes, parboiled and peeled
• 4 chicken marylands or 8 chicken thigh fillets, skin removed
• 2 garlic cloves, bashed with the back of aknife
• 5-6 peeled tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 5-6 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• a handful of dried origano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine
• 1 onion, cut up into chunks
• 1 handful of caper berries

How to

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 c (390 F)
2. Line an oven dish tray with baking paper and scatter chunks  of stale bread and boiled potatoes, the chicken a few, bashed, garlic cloves and peeled fresh tomatoes*.
3. Cut up an onion and place the slices over the chicken meat to protect it from drying in the oven.
4. Season with salt, pepper and dried origano. Add a good splash of white wine and a drizzle of extra-virgin.
5. Cover with foil and place in the oven. After 25 minutes, remove the foil, add a couple of handfuls of caper berries and allow for the potatoes to crisp up.
6. Take the tray straight to the table and observe you dinner guests fight over the last piece of chicken and wine juice-soaked bread…

* To peel your tomatoes, score them and boil them for 1 minutes than submerge them in cold water to stop the cooking process. With your fingers pinch the cooked skin off .

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