Baked chicken is an old standby, but it can be a little ho-hum. We wanted to turn simple baked chicken into a full make-ahead meal, complete with tender, flavorful vegetables and a zesty sauce to accompany the moist, well-seasoned meat. Using bone-in chicken breasts prevented them from drying out in the oven. We marinated the chicken in an aromatic oilbased mixture, forgoing any acidic elements to avoid making the chicken mushy. For vegetables, we chose cherry tomatoes, jarred artichokes, and asparagus, all of which required minimal prep work. Adding the asparagus at the end of cooking ensured that it stayed crisp-tender. A handful of capers and a few fresh lemon slices added brightness to the mix. To give the finished dish extra flavor, we reserved a bit of the marinade and enhanced it with fresh lemon juice to serve with the chicken after cooking.
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, tarragon, or basil leaves
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and patted dry
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup capers, rinsed
- ½ lemon, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 (10-to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
- 8 ounces thin asparagus, trimmed and halved crosswise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
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For the Marinade
- Process oil, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer ¼ cup marinade to bowl and stir in lemon juice; set dressing aside for serving. For the Chicken
- In large bowl toss 2 tablespoons marinade with artichokes, tomatoes, capers, lemon slices, salt, and pepper. In separate bowl, toss chicken with remaining marinade. Refrigerate vegetables and chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer vegetables to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and lay chicken on top, skin side up. Bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir asparagus into vegetables in dish and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Place chicken on top of vegetables in dish. Whisk reserved dressing to recombine, then pour over top of chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with tarragon, and serve.
