Easy suppers: Tomato and Olive Chicken

BBC Good Food was my favourite food magazine during my first few years in Scotland. I must admit that these days I subscribe to Delicious and only buy Good Food occasionally, as I find the former visually more attractive and the recipes more intriguing. However, many of my favourite recipes are still from the BBC Good Food magazine. Take this Spanish-influenced tomato and olive chicken that was first published in the March 1999 issue and then again in February 2001 issue. I've made it many, many times over the last nine years, and the combination of tomato sauce and salty olives makes this a true winner. Not many ingredients, plenty of flavour and character, and on your table in 30 minutes. Got that?

Tomato and Olive Chicken
(Tomati-oliivikana)
Serves 4



4 skinless chicken breasts (or mini fillets)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tbsp concentrated tomato puree/paste
300 ml (just over a cup) of chicken stock/bouillon
a handful of black olives (I used dry-cured olives)
plain/all-purpose flour
salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a deep plate. Dust chicken fillets in the flour mixture, shake off any extra flour.
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan/skillet over medium heat. Add chicken fillets* and fry them on both sides until brown - about 10 minutes in total. Remove the chicken fillets from the pan, keep warm.
Add garlic to the pan, fry for a minute.
Add tomato paste and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then add the chicken pieces and olives. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, turning the chicken half way through. The dish is ready when the chicken is cooked and the sauce slightly thickened.
Taste, season with salt if necessary.
Serve with steamed rice and a green salad.

* For quicker cooking, you may want to use mini fillets, or then place the chicken fillets between two sheets of clingfilm and gently pound them with your hand to flatten them.