recipe: LEMON & OREGANO CHICKEN WITH TOMATO RICE

This recipe is worth it for the rice! Yes, I wasn't that impressed with the chicken, although it was good, but the rice was SWEEEEEET!! ( I mean good, not really sweet...)

So, for 4 serves you will need:

4 pieces of chicken (I used chicken thighs, but you can use whatever you want, even the whole chicken that you will have to bake for longer.), 1 tbs dried oregano, 50 g soft butter, 2 tbs finely grated lemon rind, half a lemon's juice, 1 tbs olive oil, salt & pepper, 1 cup rice (I used normal long grain rice, but risotto rice would be good too), 1 tbs olive oil, 1 small onion chopped, 2 small tomatoes chopped, 1/3 cup tomato & basil pasta sauce, salt and basil leaves.

1. Prepare the filling. Mix the most of the oregano, lemon rind, chopped garlic and butter and make a paste. Divide this paste amongs the chicken thighs, fold the meat and use skewers to keep them in place.
2. In a bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a pinch of oregano and rub this mixture over the chicken.
3. Place the chicken in a baking tray and bake for half an hour in high heat (220C) for 15 minutes and then medium heat (180C or 160C) for another 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onion and fry it until it becomes golden.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes before pouring in the water.
7. Pour the water and the tomato/basil paste and stir.
8. Keep stirring and adding water if needed until the rice is cooked.
9. Serve the rice and sprinkle with basil leaves. Top with one chicken fillet, pour some more basil, and you're ready to go.
Yummmmmmmm!!!