Chicken with Winter Herbs and Kalamata Olives

 

Photography by: Jason Hamilton

 
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  • Prep:
    25 min
  • Cook:
    12 min

Wine:

Serves: 

6

Ingredients

  • 1 kilogram boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
  • 150 grams kalamata olives
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 2.5 teaspoons garlic finely chopped
  • 4 anchovy fillets chopped
  • 2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 160 millilitres red wine vinegar
  • 160 millilitres white wine
  • sea salt flakes
  • ground pepper
  • 1-2 bunch arugula leaves optional

This is great example of a recipe that is healthy, easy, quick and yet still a very comforting winter dish. When I make this I rarely have it with anything more than a bottle of Pinot Noir and some ciabatta bread. Actually I lie, a few weeks ago I made it for a lunch and simply added arugula leaves, a little more vinegar, a splash of olive oil and served it with white wine.

February 23, 2011, By Paul Hegeman

Method

  1. Trim the thigh fillets of excess fat and slice into 3 cm (1.5 inch) strips
  2. Remove the pits from the olives
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based fry pan over high heat
  4. Add the chicken, season with salt & pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes
  5. Add the onion, anchovies, garlic and herbs
  6. Sauté for a further 2 minutes tossing or stirring occasionally
  7. Add the olives and sauté a further 2-3 minutes
  8. Add white wine to deglaze pan
  9. Reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes
  10. Return heat to high
  11. Add vinegar and stir to combine
  12. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately with some ciabatta bread, some steamed or grilled vegetables, and a nice pinot noir.
As a lunch alternative you can serve it as a salad, as photographed. To do so:
  1. Allow chicken to cool slightly and toss entire contents of pan with the arugula leaves.
  2. Dress with a little more olive oil and red wine vinegar and enjoy with a slightly chilled pinot noir or a solid chardonnay.

Chicken with Winter Herbs and Kalamata Olives / / Paul Hegeman 297