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The inspiration for this Red Pepper Chicken with Olives was cooking a holiday meal for my family. I was cooking a holiday meal a couple of days before the actual dinner was to be served because I would be out of town. The dinner was for PASSOVER. Passover is a commemoration for the Israelites being freed from slavery. The holiday is centered around a dinner known as a Seder. The meal has a lot of symbolism but for many families, the meal is paramount.
Red Pepper Chicken with Olives
So the learning point with this dinner is how do you prepare a main course days in advance and keep the dish from drying out. I have learned the key is to complete the dish ahead of time and reheat it in a liquid. Using a liquid to reheat the dish enables the protein to be warmed up, not cooked through and flavor can continue to be imparted into the chicken. As you can see below from the pictures, after the preparation and initial cooking was completed, the liquid and chicken was placed in a baking foil tray. I placed it in the outside fridge.
On the afternoon of the dinner, my wife pulled out the Red Pepper Chicken with Olives and placed it in a 225 degree oven. This process of reheating enables you to warm the main course without overcooking the dish. The process also makes it super easy for the host to focus on the dinner set up and not worry about the time needed to make the main course. One other learning idea is that fresh vegetables, the red peppers were added after the initial cooking. In so doing, the red peppers maintain there shape and texture.
The cast of characters.
Ingredients
The preparation of the chicken.
Chicken Browning
Chicken Rested
The building of flavors in the Dutch oven.
Onions and Shallots sauteing
Tomato Sauce Added
Garlic Added
Bay Leaves and Thyme Added
The assembling of the dish in the baking foil tray.
Sauce and Olives Added to Baking Tray
Pineapple Added
Chicken and Red Peppers Added
The Red Pepper Chicken with Olives plated.
Red Pepper Chicken with Olives plated
Red Pepper Chicken with Olives
Ingredients
- 10 Whole Chicken Breasts
- 12 Whole Chicken Thighs
- 2 Whole Yellow Onions diced
- 28 Ounces Tomato Sauce
- 4 Whole Roasted Red Peppers rough chop
- 4 Ounces Greek Olives
- 1 Whole Large Shallot diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Ounces Tomato paste
- 4 Ounces Mild Harissa sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sweet Spanish Paprika
- 4 Whole Bay Leaves
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 6 Ounces White Wine
- 2 Tbsp Smoke Spanish Paprika
- 1 Cup Chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp Black pepper
- 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
- 4 Ounces Fresh Thyme
- 1/4 Whole Pineapple Diced
- 2 Whole Red Peppers rough chop
Instructions
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Spice the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven on medium high heat and add the oil. Once warm, cook the chicken in batches to crust the exterior. Set aside when complete.
Add the onions and shallots to the Dutch oven and cook for 4 - 5 minutes. Next add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes - mix well. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the bay leaf, thyme and remaining spices.
Move everything to a baking foil tray. Begin with the tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan. Add the Olives with some liquid, and then, the pineapple. Finish by adding the chicken and the chopped red peppers. Store in your fridge.
On the day you are ready to serve, place the covered baking foil tray in a 225 degree oven for 90 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
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