Mediterranean-Inspired Baked Chicken With Tomatoes and Capers Recipe

You ever hear the saying "tastes like chicken," and wonder why that is? Because chicken doesn't really taste like much in particular, which makes it a catch-all canvas for describing other things that don't taste like anything. Yet, chicken is a lean meat, and its blank slate taste makes it a ripe opportunity for creating a masterpiece on your palate.

Here's the good news: this recipe is for a chicken that does taste like something quite tasty. This baked chicken breast recipe will have you roasting the meat with tomatoes and capers, then olive oil bastes the chicken in a savory broth; this will keep the meat moist and ultimately provide it with both a chunky, textured topping and an intensely satisfying sauce to pour all over the top. Plus, you'll save more than just calories—you'll save time on cleanup! We've made it so you can pull all this off in a single baking dish, but we added the foil in there to catch all the drippings—and then you can spare yourself the post-dinner cleanup as well! It's a win-win.

Nutrition: 310 calories, 18 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 420 mg sodium

Serves 4

You'll Need

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4–6 oz each), pounded to uniform 1⁄4" thickness
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes or 2 cups chopped tomatoes
1⁄2 red onion, diced
1⁄4  cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1⁄4  cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp olive oil
Thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

How to Make It

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
   2. Take four large sheets of aluminum foil and fold each in half, then fold up about 1" of each side to create four trays, each large enough to comfortably hold a chicken breast. Place a breast on each piece of foil.
   3. Combine the tomatoes, onion, olives, pine nuts, capers, and olive oil with a few pinches of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
   4. Top the chicken breasts with the mixture.
   5. Place the chicken trays on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the tomato mixture and any accumulated juices from the foil drizzled on top.
   6. Garnish with basil if using.

This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!