Mediterranean chicken, feta, black olive & oregano orzo with home-roasted tomato sauce
The flavours and smells of this pasta dish will transport you straight to the Mediterranean Coast. Using a home-roasted tomato sauce adds another dimension! If you're short on time you can, of course, use tinned chopped tomatoes but I'd really encourage you to give the home-roasting a go as it brings a much deeper, authentic flavour. This sauce can then be used in any dish requiring chopped tomatoes! I personally love it on the homemade pizza base. Swap the chicken for aubergine for a delicious veggie dish.
Servings: 4 Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
| 1kg cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp dried oregano salt and pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, finely diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp nigella seeds 3 chicken breasts or thighs, chopped into bitesize chunks handful oregano sprigs, plus extra to serve 1 tbsp tomato purée 150g black kalamata olives, pitted 300g orzo 150g feta |
To serve rocket lemon wedges fresh oregano |
Method
1. To make the home-roasted tomato sauce, preheat the oven to 150C. Toss the cherry tomatoes in the olive oil, dried oregano, salt & pepper and spread out in a baking dish. Roast the tomatoes for at least 1 hour. If you have longer, slow roast the tomatoes at 140C for 2 hours. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then pulse a few times in a blender to form a sauce. I like to keep this textured with some tomato bits left, but a smooth creamy mixture is also delicious.
2. Whilst the tomatoes are cooking, start on the rest of the dish. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the onions, garlic and nigella seeds. Cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add the chicken pieces, cook for 5-10 minutes until golden brown all over and chicken is no longer pink
4. Add the oregano and tomato purée and cook for a few minutes, then add the home-roasted tomato sauce and olives.
5. Cook over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to boil and cook the orzo for ~8 minutes until nearly cooked. Al dente is what you’re aiming for! Drain and rinse well then add this to the chicken and tomato sauce.
7. Divide between four dishes, crumble over the feta and extra oregano and serve with some fresh rocket and pumpkin seeds for good measure!
