Baked Chicken with cherry tomatoes with a Filipino twist

This baked chicken recipe is definitely not your typical filipino fare, I didn’t grow up with this dish and I don’t imagine a lot of Filipinos did as well. As I recall, my mom actually barely used our oven when she prepared everyday fare. This dish is dear to me however, for being one of the dishes I served my mom when she was ill, and would grow tired of eating only vegetables as part of my “nutrition is medicine” phase. It’s one of those cheat dishes I made her and I remember her face lighting up from how good it was. It was one of those moments where I felt like I succeeded in tricking a child to eat healthy food rather than candy.

This dish is loaded with nutritional benefits from the herbs and spices, and it’s so “namit” as in packed with flavor. Turmeric in the Philippines is called “luyang dilaw” and is commonly used in recipes such as curry, stews, soups, and marinades, but we’re using it for our baked chicken today. It’s such an easy and simple recipe for a weeknight dinner that this is part of my regular rotation even now that my mom is no longer with us. I imagine the powerful combination of turmeric and black pepper working their magic, soothing my muscles and alleviating the aches and pains I get from feats of athleticism I really don’t have the talent for. It’s not just a dish for me, it’s still food as medicine.

Without further ado, here’s that oven-tastic baked chicken with a Filipino twist recipe!

Baked Chicken with cherry tomatoes with a Filipino twist

Recipe by MadiCourse: Entree

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

377

kcal

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1 head garlic, smashed

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, and more

• 1½ Tbsp calamansi juice, plus more for serving

• 1/2 Tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes (preferably different colors), halved

• 1/4 c scallions, chopped for serving

• Sesame seeds, for serving (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and place on a rimmed baking sheet like this.
• In a small bowl, mix grated garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ calamansi juice, paprika, oregano, turmeric, cumin and black pepper. Pour over the chicken, tossing to coat.
• Spread the tomatoes and smashed garlic around the chicken, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake the chicken for 15 minutes, stir the tomatoes but don’t disturb the chicken. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes more until chicken is cooked through and golden.
• Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with chopped scallions. Serve.

Notes

• When you let the garlic sit for 10 minutes after grating and smashing and before cooking, you activate and keep the compound allicin which is antibacterial, antifungal antiviral and heart healthy.
• Black pepper helps your body absorb the benefits of turmeric! So if your taste allows it, be liberal!
• Nutritional Information per serving size: Calories: 377, Total Fat: 22, Saturated Fat: 4.2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 157mg, Sodium: 443mg, Total Carbohydrate: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 6g, Protein: 34g
• _{**Please note that these values are estimates and can vary depending on the specific brands and quantities of ingredients used. Additionally, any additional toppings or side dishes are not included in these calculations.}