Preparation
This chicken skillet is very easy and will make you feel like you’re having a fancy dinner on a Wednesday night.
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F.
In a cast-iron skillet or oven-safe pan, warm up the olive oil on medium heat. If you don’t have an oven save pan or cast-iron skillet you can use a regular pan and then transfer everything to an oven-safe dish.
While the oil is heating up, using half the salt and pepper and all of the oregano, season all sides of each chicken breast and place the chicken breast in the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes. The chicken should sizzle once it touches the oil. This will ensure a nice crisp crust on the chicken which helps lock in the juices.
While the chicken is cooking, wash and cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
After 5 minutes, turn over the chicken then add the asparagus, onions, tomatoes and olives (leave the garlic out at this point). Sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
If using an oven-safe pan or cast-iron skillet, add chicken stock and the remaining salt and pepper to the skillet, stir gently to ensure the salt and pepper and stock are distributed evenly and place in the oven. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
If you need to transfer to an oven-safe dish, using tongs move the chicken breast over to the dish and then carefully pour the veggies and stock over and around the chicken.
Remove from the oven using oven-safe mitts and add crumbled feta cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. The timing will depend on the thickness of your chicken breast. If you feel the breasts are quite thin, remove after 10 minutes (instead of 15 as stated above) and check the internal temperature at that point. It should be very close to 165°F but not quite.
Serving Mediterranean Chicken
My favourite way to serve this Mediterranean chicken is on top of turmeric rice. The subtle taste of the rice doesn’t take anything away from the flavours of this dish but still adds another element.
For a lighter and more fresh feeling dish, serve on top of lemon and parsley quinoa. The freshness of the lemon and the acidity of the tomatoes makes for a very refreshing flavour.
You can of course skip the carbs altogether and simply make this a chicken and veggie dish. There is enough flavour variety in the skillet to make a complete meal.
Mediterranean Chicken Skillet Recipe
Equipment
- cast iron skillet (if you don’t have an oven-safe pan you can use a combination of a regular pan and an oven-safe dish)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup red onion
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup feta approx. 50g
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- In a cast iron skillet, warm up the olive oil on medium heat3 tbsp olive oil
- While the oil is heating up, using half the salt and pepper and all of the oregano, season all sides of each chicken breast.1 tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, 2 chicken breast
- Place the chicken breast in the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, wash and cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces, dice the onion and mince the garlic.1 bunch of asparagus, ¼ cup red onion, 1 clove garlic
- After 5 minutes, turn the chicken then add the asparagus, onions, tomatoes and olives. Sauté for another 5 minutes.1 bunch of asparagus, 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup red onion, ¼ cup kalamata olives
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.1 clove garlic
- Add chicken stock and the remaining salt and pepper to the skillet and place in the oven. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.½ cup chicken stock, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Add crumbled feta cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.½ cup feta
- Serve as is or on top of rice or quinoa.