It always amazes me how the most simple chicken recipes always turn out the best. This was a lesson I learned from Marcella Hazan, one of my favorite chefs. As long as you buy high-quality, happy chickens, there is little you have to do for it to turn out juicy and delicious.
Roasting is probably the way I prepare chicken most often, and because of that I've picked up a few tricks along the way. First, always make sure your chicken is DRY. Pat it down thoroughly after you wash it. This is true for vegetables too - if you wash them right before cooking, dry them with a cloth before putting them in the oven. Second, put your tray in the upper-middle of your oven. If it's too close to the bottom everything will cook unevenly.
I didn't have much on hand when I made this, but the combination of tomatoes, peppers and onions was really all the chicken needed, and the final dish was definitely worth blogging about. I almost thought this recipe was too simple to post, but I didn't want to deprive you of a perfect alternative to the chicken dish you make most often. Served with some brown rice to soak up the juices, and you have a super easy happy chicken recipe.
Ingredients for Salt & Pepper Drumettes over Roasted Reds
10 Chicken Drumettes, washed and dried thoroughly
2 Red bell peppers, seeded, cored and cut into large slices
3 Ripe tomatoes, sliced thick
1 sweet onion, halved and quartered
2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
Olive Oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
First:
Preheat the oven to 435F
Scatter the chopped vegetables in a heavy roasting dish. Place the chicken on top of the veggies. Pour enough olive oil over the whole thing to coat, and toss.
Add a good amount of salt and pepper, and stick the pan the top third of your oven for 40 min..
After 20 min., flip the chicken and add more salt and pepper.
Next:
Plate each dish with a serving of brown rice. Using a spoon, ladle some veggies and juices over the rice, and top with the drumettes.
I think this is my shortest recipe yet! Surprising considering how good it turned out. Enjoy...
