You will love this Rosemary Parmesan Chicken & Eggplant. It makes a great family dinner and bakes in just one pot.
I can’t possibly tell you all of the fantastic things I have in my kitchen. Like you, I’d imagine , I have been showered with love and the generosity of others and I am very grateful. My little family of Skater and I suddenly swells into our big and quirky clan at this time of year, and I am filled with a love of life that only my family can bring. We swelled to a wonderful 25 for Christmas lunch and I took not a single photo of anything I cooked and it was great to take abreak
We shared some of the food making this year with my sisters contributing salads and an incredible leg of Bangalow Sweet Pork Ham that I glazed and carved. That was one incredible ham was made by one of my favourite butchers. ” Eastern Road Quality Meats“, Turramurra. Alan is one of the old time caring butchers who also has a property and breeds much of the meat he sells at his busy shop. I made an enormous platter of Porcini Risotto with Garlic Roasted Field Mushrooms and Spinach Rotolo bubbling in a San Marzano tomato sauce with parmesan cream. Sugar snap pea, mint, spinach and feta salad jostled for room with the duck fat roasted crispy potatoes, and we were happy. Next, I made Raspberry and Vanilla Mini Cheesecakes, gluten free Christmas cake and served it with nougat, pistachio and raspberry parfait made by my talented niece.
So what do I have in my kitchen besides Rosemary Parmesan Chicken and Eggplant?
I have this lovely spice rack it has been filled with spices and labelled as this year, Skater is going to cook 1 night a week. It is time he learnt to be responsible for something in the kitchen. Should be very interesting. His night will be Thursday. He has already told me he will probably have the same dishes on rotation constantly. He told me this after I started flicking through a book getting excited about what he might cook. The book has been put away.
Love this gorgeous dish. I have already used it in a photo and it looks lovely. My younger sister gave me this and the spice rack for my birthday.
And this?.
This below is a surprise gift from Rebecca, the thoughtful, generous and delightful friend I have been lucky enough to acquire in Canberra. Thank you Rebecca, for always surprising me, always caring and always being available. I always learn something on her blog, which she labours over , due to pain in her hands and arms. She really is an inspiration www.intolerantchef.blogspot.com.au The gift is a wonderfully pungent smoked rice. I used to buy smoked rice years ago and it disappeared. I m very happy to have some again
And last for now, these little salt and pepper shaker elephants, that my sister brought back for me from Thailand ( Chang Mai) . They are so cute. I love them.
We had this Rosemary Parmesan Chicken & Eggplant bake last night for dinner. You can’t do much wrong to it. Add or subtract what you want.
Rosemary Parmesan Chicken & Eggplant
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken breasts Skin on (this adds more flavour and colour)
- 25 gm parmesan cut into 4 slices (to be stuffed inside the breast- optional)
- 2 -3 sprigs of Rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 small red capsicum
- 4 Japanese Eggplants (the long skinny ones or 1 small eggplant)
- 40 ml olive oil (2 Tablespoon)
- 500 ml Tomato passata 2 cups puree
- salt and pepper
- 100 gm Parmesan cheese - or more if you like
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Set the oven to 180 C / 350 F
- Cut the Japanese eggplants in half and toss them in some olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes or till golden. Alternatively you can pan fry them till softened. Set aside on some kitchen paper.
- I cut a slit with a paring knife into the thickest part of the chicken breast and slide in a slice of parmesan.
- Dry the breasts with a paper towel and put into a bowl with a Table spoon or two of oil and the leaves from 1 of the sprigs of rosemary. Sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon salt and a grind of black pepper.
- Heat the skillet or baking dish to very hot and add the Chicken skin side down. Leave the Chicken like that till it is very dark golden just lifting the corners each couple of minutes to check. While the chicken is browning add the finely sliced onion in the spare spaces of the pan and move them around till they start to soften. Add the garlic and the extra sprig of rosemary and keep moving it.
( Prepare the pasta, rice or Quinoa)
- The chicken will keep cooking and you can move the onion around in the spaces till it is softened.** and onion should take about the same time to
- Now turn off the heat, turn the chicken over and add the tomato sauce.
- Add the eggplant around the sides and middle between the chicken
- Then sprinkle with the grated parmesan
- Put the skillet into the hot oven and bake for 10 minutes . The chicken will be done in this time but check the interior temperature by skewering with a knife and feeling that the tip of the knife feels hot. Still unsure,? Put a cut into one piece of chicken through the thickest part. Chicken breast cooks very quickly and drys out just as quickly.
- Serve with Quinoa or pasta.
Notes
** If you do not have a pan big enough you should put the chicken on a plate one browned and soften the onion then add the garlic before adding the chicken bake into the skillet.
Happy New Year
Thank you for being here xxx
Ardys
Lovely looking recipe, will definitely have a go. A very happy birthday and year ahead to you! Thank you for sharing what is happening in your kitchen.
Victoria of Flavors of the Sun
Smoked rice keeps popping up in various blogs, and I must say I am intrigued. I don’t think it has made it yet to Mexico, though. Nice recipe–thanks for sharing. And wishing you a peace-filled and healthy 2015.
InTolerant Chef
Happy Birthday Darling Girl! How lovely that you’ve spent the holidays surrounded by people you love and love you back 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the rice, it’s certainly fun to play around with and I can hardly wait to see what you come up with. My BigJ cooks for the family on Thursday night too, but I do find it interesting how often pizza delivery finds it’s way to our home on Thursday nights 🙂 I hope Skater is a bit more inventive- perhaps he could use some of your blog recipes like this delicious morsel? Once again, Happy, Happy Birthday sweetie, and of course a Happy New Year too xox
Elizabeth
Lovely kitchen this month… And like you, I do enjoy the wonderful time with extended family, cooking, chatting, drinking and too much eating 🙂 I’m intrigued by the smoked rice as I have seen it on 3 blogs now 🙂 and those little elephants are so cute! Thanks for sharing! Liz xx
Choc Chip Uru
Happy Belated Birthday my friend, and Happy New Year! I see your parmesan chicken probably made lots of people smile these holidays 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Maree
You hade me salivating from the outset and I just kept getting hungrier as I read on. Thanks for letting me have a peek!
Marian@Apricot Tart
Your Christmas sounds amazing! Like you our family has begun sharing the cooking – it certainly makes the day much less stressful for the host! I do love your wooden platter and spice rack – Happy Birthday! And, I can’t wait to make your featured Chicken recipe – it looks amazing!
celia
Oh Happy Belated Birthday and New Year, darling woman! Sounds like you’ve been having the best time ever – so glad to hear that! The parmesan chicken sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to see what Skater comes up with! My Big Boy is going to cook on Wednesdays this year – I think we’ll be eating a lot of tuna pasta.. 🙂 xxx
Gretchen
Happy New Year and happy birthday. The smoked rice sounds wonderful and I love the wooden plate.
Merryn Galluccio
I love your cute elephant shakers and spice rack, happy birthday! This is a delectable dish, I am looking at my little Japanese eggplant bush and know what I will cook tonight. Very nice addition with the parmesan. Happy new year 😀
Jennifer from Milk and Honey
Happy New Year. Smoked rice sounds interesting. I bet it would make some amazing paella. I’m pretty sure I’ll be making your Parmesan chicken soon.
Francesca
Happy New Year and Happy BirthdayTania, Smoked rice- that sounds intriguing. I have never tried it.The wooden board is gorgeous too.
Sandra
What adorable S&P shakers! Love your take on Chicken Parma. We have Parma Wednesday with the grandkids each week and its always up to me to come up with new ideas to keep it interesting. Thanks for this one!
Joanne
Ooo I love the sound of smoked rice! Very cool.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
Tania, I just came over from Celia’s In My Kitchen list. (I’ll be on it, too, as soon as she adds my link.) Fun! This dish looks delicious, and I love how you’ve included eggplant in it.
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts
Happy new year! Between you and Charlie, I am so intrigued with smoked rice. I love your new spice rack too – really lovely.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Happy Birthday, Tania! I thought of you today as we were celebrating Rob’s 94th birthday. Think we’ll ever get that old?
Your Christmas sounds so special. I really miss seeing my family at this time of year but it’s a new year so I’m done with the holidays. 🙂
This chicken looks very good but I’m waiting on Skater’s first Thursday post.
Danielle L
My husband is the parma king inour house, I’ll have to try this to challenge him for the title. Love the elephant shakers too, very cute!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
You have some great stuff in Jan., Tania. Love that spice rack!
The parmesan chicken looks droolworthy!
Angie
Lizzy (Good Things)
Happy new year lovely lady! This is one delicious sounding recipe! Thank you for sharing.