Mediterranean Chicken

Makes a delicious, hearty meal for two. Serve with fine green beans and carrots plus grilled peppers with a warm balsamic dressing (see the recipe for Polenta alla Bolognese). Waste nothing: the bones can be used to make stock!

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
Flour
Salt and pepper

For the vegetable mix and sauce
Olives
Artichoke hearts in oil (lightly drained)
Green and yellow peppers
A couple of cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Passata
Tomato purée
Balsamic vinegar
Provencale herbs
Mozerella, chopped into small pieces
Freshly grated parmesan

For the topping
Mozerella, chopped into small pieces

Method

1. Season and flour four chicken thighs and fry on each side until golden, with a little garlic.
   
2. Meanwhile prepare the mixture of vegetables: chop olives, artichokes hearts in oil (lightly drained), green and yellow peppers and mix well.
   
3. Spread a little of the vegetable mix in the bottom of an oven-proof dish just large enough for the chicken and place the chicken on top.
   
4. Make the sauce in the pan used to fry the chicken. Add more garlic, some passata, the vegetable mix, some provencale herbs, a squeeze of tomato purée and a dash of balsamic vinegar and heat through.
   
5. Melt into this sauce a little chopped mozerella (reserve more for topping) and some freshly grated parmesan.
   
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake at 170° C (fan) - 190° C (conventional) for 15-20 mins.
   
7. Top the chicken with some small chunks of mozerella and then return to the oven for a further 2-3 minutes until the mozerella is beginning to melt.
   
8. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.