I have a real aversion to buying chicken breast meat. It’s easy to overcook, bland and expensive. I would much rather buy a whole chicken or those packs of legs and thighs and anyway, I don’t really like to cook in individual portions, and with chicken breast meat, it has to be individual portions, unless you are cutting it up for curries, skewers or goujons. What if someone is really hungry? It doesn’t sit comfortably with my ethos of passing round a generous platters of food for everyone to help themselves from.
A few years ago, I watched Donna Hay on television, cooking and baking hew way to exquisite looking food. I was mesmerised as much by the incredble view of the sea outside her kitchen window as by her effortless styling of the food on the plates. She cooked some chicken breasts and halloumi together with a drizzle of honey and it stuck in my mind. Despite my reservations about breast meat, I’ve made this a few times with a few tweaks, here and there.
I’ve added shallots and garlic for a deeper flavour and included a dash of pomegranate molasses to balance the sweetness of the honey. You end up with the salty halloumi, the warmth of the thyme, the sweet honey and the sharp pomegranate molasses which are the perfect foil to the breast meat.
I’ve made this with both skin on and skinless chicken breasts and prefer it with the skin left on. It protects the meat from drying out and also adds a crispy note to the textures. The version below is skinless only because that is what I unearthed when rummaging in the freezer, wondering what to cook for dinner later!
It could not be simpler to throw together – all in the one dish that you can also bring to the table. It’s a brilliant mid week family supper, just make extra to make me feel better!
I am taking this over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #51 which this week is being co-hosted by the lovely, bubbly Jhuls @The Not So Creative Cook and supercook Juju @cookingwithauntjuju.
If you are new to blogging, please do join the party, we would love to see you. Fiesta Friday is a great way to gain exposure and make new friends too. Be sure to comment, like and follow – Angie has such a friendly crowd at this party that you will come away with lots of new followers (as long as you interact) as well as a lot of inspiration! Submit a post (please be sure to include the link and a mention, in your post, to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #51 post – it’s only polite and also ensures that you can be considered for a feature next week!) or just take a look at others are up to! If you’re new to Fiesta Friday, please do take a minute to read the guidelines.
Right, lets party!
Chicken and Halloumi with Honey & Thyme
Inspired by Donna Hay
INGREDIENTS
- 2 chicken breasts, skin on
- 4 x 1 inch slices of halloumi cheese
- 2 x banana shallots or 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 cloves of garlic, halved
- 10-15 stalks of thyme, leaves stripped
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses or lemon juice
- Black pepper
To serve
- salad leaves
- steamed green vegetables like green beans or broccoli.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly oil a baking dish
- Place the chicken breasts and the halloumi in an oven safe dish that will fit everything snugly.
- Scatter around the shallots and garlic.
- Mix the olive oil, honey and pomegranate molasses with most of the thyme leaves, in a small bowl and spoon it over the chicken, halloumi, shallots and garlic. Scatter over the remaining thyme and black pepper. You won’t need salt as halloumi is quite a salty cheese.
- Roast in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the halloumi is golden. Baste with the pan juices once or twice in that time.
- Serve on a handful of salad leaves using the pan juices as a salad dressing.
Looks delicious!
LikeLike
Thanks Sarah!
LikeLike
This looks so delicious Selma! Ive never had halloumi before. I never heard of it until a few months ago when lovely Dimple was talking about it! I came across it at the store not too long ago, but passed it up, because I really didnt know what to do with it. Now I do. ❤️.
LikeLike
Prudy, if you slice halloumi quite thickly, you can char gill it or cook it in a skillet without any fat – it is amazing! Fab with some sweet chill sauce drizzled on it…And it keeps for a long time if it hasn’t been opened. You do need to cook it though. It’s not very nice raw. x
LikeLike
You are right about Donna Hay. Her recipes are so fast, fresh and simple. Yet she manages to make them look so elegant. You have captured that sentiment in your dish. This chicken and halloumi is all of that 👍😃
LikeLike
Thanks so much for your kind comment – I as so pleased that you know her work and agree with me. I bet she runs her kitchen with an iron fist – she must be such a perfectionist – but that is how you get results like these!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Fiesta Friday #51 | The Novice Gardener
yum, lovely idea!
LikeLike
Thank you Shini and welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely dish Selma! Your description will make everyone want to make this. I keep hearing about Donna Hay recipes but never made any. She’s a good baker too I believe. Looks like I need to buy a cookbook – any recommendations? I do love to cook with chicken breasts as I never was a “dark meat” kind of gal. Thanks so much for bringing a delicious chicken dish to Fiesta Friday. I know I will see you next week to begin the two week long celebration :)
LikeLike
Thanks Judi – I’m pretty sure she has a website so that might be the first port of call – yes, she is an amazing baker. I’ve got a book of hers called Fresh with is really nice, but she also puts out a magazine but seeing as she is based in Australia, you might be hard pushed to find a copy at home. Thanks so much for co-hosting – I am so looking forward to the mega-fiesta over the next couple of weeks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I found 10 different cookbooks I could buy, including Fresh. The magazine sub is outrageous which I figured coming from so far $85.00/yr. Yes. she does have a website – thanks Selma :)
LikeLike
I had no idea she was so prolific! I wonder if she’s on youtube…the website is pretty good from what i can remember!
LikeLike
I just checked – she has all kinds of videos on youtube ;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I LOVE halloumi and enthusiastically encourage eating it with pretty much anything :) this looks so yummy, Selma and definitely easy to throw together. Will give it a go as I have some pomegranate molasses that needs to be used up…Happy FF!
LikeLike
Thanks Mandi! I think you will really enjoy it – the pan juices are just fabulous! Happy Fiesta Friday to you too!!
LikeLike
This sounds delicious, Selma. And SO simple. Thank you for giving me a new idea of what to do with chicken parts. It should also work with thighs, do you think. They are usually tastier than breasts.
LikeLike
Hi Tish! Don’t you just love this sort of recipe?! I love cooking but sometimes you just need to be able to toss a few things in a dish and kick back. They would definitely work with thighs, but trim off as much fat as you can as there is quite a bit of oil in the halloumi x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trimmed thighs, could this year’s resolution, Selma.
LikeLike
Haha, Tish, that is always my resolution…must try harder!
LikeLike
The chicken looks great! Very inviting to tuck in to with the lovely honey and thyme flavours. Donna Hay is great, I have several cookbooks that I go back to again and again and yes, I have seen the view she has from her kitchen, stunning!! :)
LikeLike
I wouldn’t get anything done with that view. It’s just mesmerising. I must take a look at some of my DH cookbooks – I’ve been stuck in Ottolenghi mode for a little while now! Happy Fiesta Friday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree! And it never rains! ha ha
Hmm, might get the cookbooks out tomorrow for some inspiration :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the chicken with the halloumi would be too filling for me, but I LOVE the idea of the honey, thyme and other flavours with the cheese alone. Wonderful!
LikeLike
Hi Karinna! Lovely to hear from you – hope all is well at your end x. Making it without the chicken is a great idea – throw in some chilli flakes too then!
LikeLike
The dish looks great, I reckon the boys could eat the chicken and I could eat the halloumi and everything else!!! I only ever buy chicken beasts for my two, it’s all they’ll eat!! I do a lot to them though so I think they get lots of flavour, I hope! xx
LikeLike
Your boys would love this Elaine! I’ve just had such bad luck with cooking breast meat, unless it’s poached or stir fried or marinated and I didn’t always have the time to do lots to the meat so I’ve always bought the legs and thighs. Jake has loved a leg ever since he realised he was allowed to pick up the bone when he had done as much as he could with his fork and knife, and nibble on it. Well, he brandished it about like a cave boy actually! Happy Fiesta Friday Xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly, my two won’t eat anything on the bone. Maybe Ben will try it as he gets older, but Graham won’t and so Ben won’t :(
I buy 15kg packs of huge chicken breasts from my brother in law, I reckon they get through just over 1 per month! It’s a good job I can do wonders with chicken breast isn’t it??? xxxx
LikeLike
Wow, Elaine, that is a lorra lorra chicken! And, yes, you do work your flavouring magic with chicken breasts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to!!! And it is a lot isn’t it? They don’t eat any other meat though 😕
LikeLike
What a delicious recipe, I love haloumi and the combination of everything looks not just tasty but healthful also.
LikeLike
Thanks Suzanne – other than the cheese it’s healthy – gluten free, low carb and high protein too. I do try…x
LikeLike
I’m with you on the whole chicken thing!
This looks damn tasty! :)
LikeLike
Thanks – pleased to hear that you agree with me!
LikeLike
Wow, Selma! Your dish is over-the-top delicious! I am bookmarking this to try very soon!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Julianna – it’s really simple but with a good balance of flavours. Looking forward to next week ; )
LikeLike
Hmm, yum! I could almost smell this dish from here, Selma. I hope I could have some right now. :D Thank you sharing this, Selma. You’d be here for the biggest FF Fiesta Anniversary, yes? <3
LikeLike
I sure am Jhuls – planning what to make for you and Julianna – and Angie of course! I’m co-hosting the following week so get your best sweet recipe ready – I know it will be hard for you to choose!!
LikeLike
It looks absolutely delicious, Selma :) Halloumi works so well with honey!
LikeLike
It really does, doesn’t it?! I also like it with sweet chilli sauce…
LikeLike
Absolutely love this Selma!!👌💛
LikeLike
Thanks Fari! Happy Fiesta Friday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Selma, I love everything about this dish! Such delicious ingredients… I would never thought to add the halloumi… thanks for expanding my palate pleasing options!! I only occasionally cook with chicken breasts (I’m more of a thigh girls), but I imagine that the other ingredients as well as the cooking process heightened the flavor of the breast meat to perfection. Lovely and delicious!
LikeLike
Thanks Nancy – it’s so simple but very tasty! I prefer to use thighs (well trimmed of fat) but it’s a great flavour combination to perk up breast meat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I normally use breast meat if I’m cutting it up for some kind of sauce dish like curry, but I’m the same when it comes to whole breasts – it’s always just too bland and uninteresting. But this dish definitely sounds like the opposite of bland! Yummy!
LikeLike
I agree to the chicken breast thing too, so easy to dry out! This dish looks wonderful though and I love the idea of passing around a delicious platter of it too, with all the lovely aromas emanating from it :D
LikeLike
Pingback: First Fiesta Friday Anniversary (Part 1) | The Novice Gardener
Pingback: Fiesta Friday Anniversary Part 1: Cran-Brie Bites | feasting with friends
Hi Selma. I have some of the same aversions to chicken breast meat as well so recently I have been using more boneless or boneless/skinless chicken thighs…organic. They are smaller so it takes more for a recipe, but the flavor is wonderful. When I do use chicken breasts…here in the USA from most chain supermarkets they are so hormone enhanced they are huge. I avoid these and go for the smaller, again organic, local chicken breasts. But overall thighs are what we love. Great post as always.
LikeLike
Snap! Hormone enhanced breasts just make me feel queasy to even look at! Both types! When it comes to chicken, I always buy organic or free range – I just don’t bother otherwise and find something else to cook. I read a book, years ago, called Real Meat Cookery by Frances Bissell – it was such an eyeopener – not sure if you can get it in the US, but that was the book that opened my eyes and completely changed how I shopped for meat. Hope you are having a wonderful and delicious weekend xx
LikeLike
Pingback: Khubani ka Meetha – Apricot dessert | Aromas and Flavors from my Kitchen
Pingback: Chocolate Chip Cookie Ultimate Layer Cake - Giraffes Can Bake
Pingback: Raspberry cake with Pistachio and Rose water Swiss Meringue Buttercream | Giramuk's Kitchen
Pingback: Basket Noodles with Vibrant Vegetables and Crispy Chicken – FF week 2 and Superbowl Sunday | Aromas and Flavors from my Kitchen
Pingback: Esterhazy Torte | HostessAtHeart
Pingback: Pasticiotti For Fiesta Friday #53 | apuginthekitchen
Pingback: Mock Chocolate Tiramisu, Eggless! Fiesta Friday Anniversary Continues! | simplyvegetarian777
Pingback: Veggie-Chicken-Chile-Soup!!! Fiesta Friday #53 | Come Cook With Me
Pingback: Fish and Chips | Cooking Is My Sport
Pingback: Chocolate Eclair Torte: Fiesta Friday Anniversary Party Part 2 | feasting with friends
Pingback: Ricotta and Mascarpone Cheesecake | La Petite Panière
I’m going to have to search out the halloumi as this sounds like a terrific dish.
LikeLike
I do like hallumi; It’s such a tasty cheese! Great and flavourful dish, Selma! Yum! :)
LikeLike
Thanks Mila, a few people have made this now, and really like the combination of flavours. Halloumi is one of my son’s favourite cheeses too!
LikeLike
Pingback: Apple soufflé | milkandbun
Pingback: Undhiyu, a traditional mix vegetable from the state of Gujarat! A recipe submitted by Rupal Ralph! | simplyvegetarian777
I only recently discovered Donna Hay and that sounds as good as her other recipes!
LikeLike
She has a great palate as well as a good eye! I’ve had tweets and messages about this one from people who have made it, adding fennel for instance – I am so going to try that the next time.
LikeLiked by 1 person