In this recipe series, we bring you recipes by Julia Toon, culinary motivator and author of the book ‘Good Eating: A Taste of Qatar’. New recipes every week, straight from Jules of the Kitchen.
Easy Baked Chicken
It’s Easy Supper Food week and the recipe I share is EASY BAKED CHICKEN. A delicious supper delight which I guarantee will be a great family pleaser and a recipe everyone will love.
Quick and easy to prepare and absolutely sublime to eat. Perfect for the family but a great recipe to have on hand if entertaining numbers and wish to prepare ahead of time. It freezes raw (uncooked) or even when cooked, as I have done many times. If you do wish to eat it after it has been well cooked, best to always reheat covered with tin foil. I share 4 images – the end result served to the table, straight from the oven and as it should be for the freezer (uncooked) if you wish to make ahead and freeze to bake and eat later. It is also perfectly acceptable to freeze when baked but best if re-heated with a tin foil (buttered) lid to prevent burning.
Serves 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 – 60 minutes
Oven temperature: 150ºC
INGREDIENTS
6 chicken breasts – skin removed, cut into pieces
900 g bag frozen broccoli florets
125 g grated cheddar cheese
Sauce
1x 380 g can cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp mild curry powder
½ cup fresh milk or cream
1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare broccoli: defrost – drain well.
Prepare sauce
In a mixing bowl empty the can of soup, add curry powder, mayonnaise, milk or cream and whisk until smooth.
Assemble
Butter a large ovenproof serving dish. Lay the broccoli along the base, now add the chicken breasts; either whole or thickly sliced, and top with the creamy mushroom curry sauce. Finish with a heavy layer of grated cheddar cheese.
Bake
Place in a moderate oven for up to 45 – 60 minutes.
Serve
Take to the table with plain boiled rice and your favourite poppadum.
Jules’ Tips: One of my favourite quick family meals passed to me by my lovely sister-in-law Jane – one you will always find ready to go in my deep freeze. This dish can be pre-prepared the day before. Can be frozen either uncooked (when using fresh chicken breasts) or frozen after baking. If you like it a little spicier use a hotter curry powder. Give it a try. Also perfectly OK to use freshly blanched broccoli, i.e broken into florets, placed into a pan of boiling water, and cooked for 1-2 minutes only. Drain under cold water to stop cooking and retain the green colour.
Contributed by: Julia Toon, Jules of the Kitchen
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