MAMMA MIA CHICKEN
My sister-in-law Amy shared a family favourite, “Pizza Chicken” from Melissa Clark’s cookbook, Dinner: Changing the Game. It looked like a lot of work, so I created my own version, which turned into a Margherita pizza on chicken. If I was running that fabulous inn in Greece in the movie Mamma Mia! (which I would love to do one day), this would be my signature dish.
SERVES 4 TO 5
Combining one can of tomatoes with one container of grape or cherry tomatoes in this recipe will yield maximum flavour. If you’d like to use boneless chicken, reduce the baking time to 20 minutes. And if you’d like to make this dish dairy free, just omit the mozzarella!
2½–3 lbs. chicken thighs (about 8 pieces, 2 pieces per person) bone in (skin on is best)
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 shallot, finely diced (or ½ small sweet onion)
½–¾ cup nicoise olives, pitted, chopped in half
1–2 tbsp capers, drained (optional)
½ tsp chili flakes
¼ cup white wine or chicken stock
1 28 oz. can (about 3 cups) San Marzano canned tomatoes (roughly chopped with wooden spoon in skillet) 1 pint cherry tomatoes ½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade, divided 8 oz. (½–¾ cup) fresh mozzarella, sliced with vegetable Y-peeler
MAKE CHICKEN
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chicken dry and season with 1 tsp of salt and generously with pepper.
2. In large, cast-iron, 12" skillet (you may need two), heat olive oil, add chicken and sear until brown on all sides, turning, about 10 minutes. Transfer out of pan and reserve.
3. Add garlic, shallot, olives, capers and chili flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in white wine or chicken stock and canned tomatoes. Break up tomatoes with wooden spoon. Add cherry tomatoes. Season with 1 tsp of salt, pepper, and add half the basil. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes.
4. Return chicken to pan, bake in oven, uncovered, for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until juices run clear.
5. Top with remaining basil and single layer of mozzarella and broil for 3 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and oozes.