We had loads of fresh cherry tomatoes ripe in our garden this weekend so of course a farmer's market inspired tomato recipe was necessary. I picked up some creamy burrata balls and fresh baked sour dough from the local market and this recipe fell into place.
I used chicken thighs here because they are very flavorful and give off a good amount of juices which made for a delicious sauce mixed with the garlic, balsamic and tomatoes.
If you are not a chicken thigh lover, you could swap for a variety of proteins. I included some ideas and variations to the recipe for these.
If you've never cooked with burrata you are missing out. Burrata is essentially a mozzarella ball filled with stracciatella and cream. When you cut it open, the cream just pours out and it's absolutely delicious.
For this recipe I used a shallow dutch oven dish that is oven safe. A large cast iron skillet or other oven safe dish would work as well.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Garden Cherry Tomatoes and Burrata
4 servings | Cook time: 30 minutes
Notes: for this recipe I chose chicken thighs because they are extra juicy and soak up all of the delicious flavors. If you prefer a different protein chicken breasts, white fish or shrimp would work well as well. See the end of the recipe for more details.
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
20 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 large shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1-2 large burrata balls, halved or quartered
Fresh basil, for topping
Sliced sour dough, for serving
Directions:
In a large cast iron or other oven safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Season one side of the chicken thighs with half the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Place thighs, seasoning side down in the skillet and sear 3 minutes. Season the unseasoned side of the chicken with remaining salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
Flip the chicken and sear another 3 minutes. The chicken should be nearly cooked but not entirely cooked at this point. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium low and add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Add 1/4 cup water to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to deglaze any chicken bits from the pan. If using a leaner meat like chicken breast or fish you may need 1/2 cup water if there are not many juices.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and bring it just to a simmer. Nuzzle the chicken thighs within the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over everything. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn the oven on to broil. Remove the cover from the skillet and transfer to the oven to broil for 6-8 minutes until the tomatoes begin to char and the chicken is crispy and reached an internal temperature of 165F.
Carefully slice the burrata into quarters and nuzzle them into the chicken and tomatoes, mozzarella side down so the burette is cupped in.
To get the cheese extra melted, return the skillet to broil for another minute.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil. Serve with warmed sour dough bread and alongside a simple salad like arugula with cracked pepper, shaved parmesan and fresh squeezed lemon juice.
To sub chicken thighs: Use half a cup of water instead of a quarter for leaner proteins like chicken, fish or shrimp. Cook times will also vary. For shrimp and fish, skip step 2 and add them at step 5 instead. For white fish, extend broil time to 10-12 minutes or until fish is white and flaky.
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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.
