From Parm and Mayo to Cast Iron

Cooking has long been an outlet for me. As a kid, I remember always making "fancy" parm and mayo sandwiches for my brothers after school, which eventually turned into parm and mayo grilled cheese. I don't think they liked them, but they never complained—mostly because they'd much rather make me do the work than make their own snack!

A Cast Iron Family Favorite

Thankfully, I’ve gotten better at cooking, and my family has never had to eat those terrible sandwiches. Food always looks better in cast iron, and I've been playing around with incorporating skillets more into my cooking. This recipe was a hit at my house—even my 18-month-old scarfed it down and asked for more!

Chicken Cherry Tomato Confit

Ingredients

• 6 Chicken thighs or 4 breasts (I used a mix of boneless/skinless thighs and breast)
• 1-2 Pints of cherry tomatoes. You can use grape but cherry are sweeter and will work better for this. (Use multicolored tomatoes for a little more colour pop)
• 1 head of garlic
• 1/2 Bundle of fresh thyme
• 1/4c + 2tbpsn EVOO. You can use infused olive pile too for more flavour!
• Salt & pepper
• 12” cast iron or oven proof skillet if using a grill. A regular 12” deep Pan will do if using the stove

How to Make It

Preheat your grill to 350°F. In a hot pan with olive oil, season your chicken liberally with salt and pepper and brown it for about 3 to 4 minutes per side to get color before setting it aside. In your cast iron skillet, place the cherry tomatoes in a single layer, toss with 1/4 cup olive oil, and place a halved garlic head cut-side down. Add fresh thyme sprigs and cook undisturbed on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes until the tomatoes blister. Place the chicken back into the skillet and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for breasts or 175°F for thighs. Let cool slightly before serving.

How to Serve

You can use this rich confit as a pasta sauce alternative, serve on crostini like bruschetta, or serve over white rice. Whichever way you decide to go, it’s going to be delicious!