Chicken Topped with Caponata and Mozzarella
Caponata is an eggplant dish normally served as a relish or appetizer, but I am so fond of it that I keep reinventing ways to add it to each cookbook I write. I’ve topped polenta with it, tossed it with pasta, packed it into sub sandwiches, and now, here we go again . . .
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the cutting board near the stovetop. Preheat a deep skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan) along with the garlic and red pepper flakes. As you chop the vegetables (cubanelle, onions, and celery), add them to the pot. Once the vegetables are in there, increase the heat a bit.
Step 2
Stir in the olives, capers, and raisins. Salt the diced eggplant and stir into the pot. Add the tomato sauce to the pot and stir the caponata well to combine. Cover the pot and cook the caponata for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the parsley and remove the pan from the heat.
Step 3
Preheat the broiler.
Step 4
While the caponata is cooking, preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook on each side for 5 to 6 minutes, until cooked through. Cut the breasts into large chunks and arrange in a heat-safe baking dish. Top the chicken with the caponata, then scatter the mozzarella over the top. Transfer to the broiler to melt and lightly brown the cheese, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with lots of crusty bread.
