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Roast Chicken Legs and Thighs with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
Chicken drumsticks and thighs are classic examples of comfort food. They are often eaten by hand on their own but this recipe sees them cooked and served with a variety of nourishing, Mediterranean style vegetables, coated in heart healthy extra virgin olive oil. The smell of this dish alone as it cooks and fills your kitchen will have you salivating and it really is moderately quick and very easy to prepare. From the point of starting your simple preparations, you should be enjoying this delicious meal for two in little more than an hour. The specific vegetables included here can be considered only to be a suggestion and you can of course easily vary the ingredients listed to suit your own tastes and preferences.
Cook Time
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ready in: 55 min
Yields: Two fairly large portions (or four smaller ones)
Ingredients
- 5 chicken drumsticks, skin on
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 red onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Handful of coriander leaves/cilantro, roughly chopped
Preparing the Dish for the Oven
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- Put your oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.
- Cut the bell peppers in half down through the centre. Remove the stalk, seeds and excess whitish membrane. Roughly chop.
- Peel the red onion and garlic cloves. Quarter the onion and roughly chop the garlic. Don't chop the garlic too small or the pieces will burn and turn bitter.
- Add everything you have so far prepared to a large, deep roasting tray. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil. Stir around carefully with a wooden spoon.
- A small cut should be made in the top of each tomato. Otherwise, you risk them bursting and creating a mess in the oven. The seeds and pulp can be removed simply by squeezing them out or left in - it's up to you. Add the tomatoes to the roasting tray.
- Season the chicken pieces and drizzle with olive oil. Pick up each piece in turn and massage to evenly distribute the oil before laying on the roasting tray.
- Put the tray in to the oven for 40 minutes.
Serving the Chicken Legs and Thighs and Roast Vegetables
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- Take the tray from the oven and use the skewer test to ensure the chicken is cooked. Simply pierce the thickest part of the biggest thigh and ensure the juices run clear.
- Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Lift the chicken portions to a plate with cooking tongs.
- If you have left the pulp in the tomatoes, there will be a lot of liquid in the bottom of the tray. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to the base of your serving dish.
- Lay the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
- Scatter with chopped coriander/cilantro for service.
© 2012 Gordon Hamilton
