One-dish baked meals are a favourite style of cooking in my home. There's little preparation and also little mess so clean up is easy. Adding seasonal vegetable variations keeps the flavours changing regularly.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
• 100 gram pottle sun-dried tomato pesto (see recipe on our website)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese
• 4 courgettes, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 4-5 medium-sized tomatoes
• 6-8 garlic cloves, crushed but unpeeled
• 6 pickling-sized onions, peeled and halved
• 2 tablespoons oil, olive is nice here
• 2 cups cooked orzo
• fresh basil or thyme, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
2. Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast. Divide the tomato pesto among the chicken breast pockets. Secure the opening with a toothpick.
3. Heat a dash of oil in a frying-pan and brown the chicken on all sides over a high heat for 4-5 minutes until golden. Transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the chicken.
4. Use a small sharp paring knife to cut a criss-cross pattern in the flesh of the halved courgettes.
5. Place the courgettes, tomatoes, garlic and onions in a large bowl and toss with the oil. Arrange the vegetables around the chicken.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked.
7. Serve with freshly cooked pasta such as orzo and pour the remaining cooking juices evenly over each serve. Garnish with fresh herb leaves, if wished.

Cooks Tips

Variations:

- Use pork chops, rind removed.

- Brown 2 well-seasoned lamb rumps, spread with the pesto and cook for about the same time, allowing 5-8 minutes' resting time before carving.