Sundried Tomato Chicken Bake

So I've decided to take a break on baking. I know, sad, but it still has sugar in it and I had no self control when it came to not eating the whole batch. Whoops, paleo treats are just so tasty, I can't help it! I'll start baking again in May (I've already got some good ones), but I thought I would actually make some dinners, snacks, side dishes, etc also. Lately, I have still been grilling and making lots of burgers! They are super easy to throw on the grill and just as good for leftovers, especially with some avocado or a fried egg on top. This week I bought a bunch of chicken, so I decided to post about some great chicken recipes and a few side dishes!

I hope everyone had a great Easter! We couldn't have asked for a better day. Sean and I went mountain biking in the morning, a beautiful 70 degrees! Then we headed to Castle Rock to my Aunt and Uncle's house. I'm so lucky to have them here in Colorado, they are my only family here, and they go out of there way to take care of me! Not only did we have some amazing ham, but my Aunt even had some paleo foods for me! I never ask anyone to cater to my diet since I usually can always find something to eat and I hate when people make something special just for me. I was amazed on how sweet her and her sister were to think about me. Her sister made a Paleo Dip for fruit and it was great! I even made my family Kale Chips for Easter and they loved them!  Paleo is fantastic, but I never shove it down anyones throat since it isn't for everyone. Though it is what I know the most about and believe in. I love introducing and talking about it with people that want to know more about it. For those of you that don't know, I'm getting my Masters Degree in Nutrition and Health Education, focusing on Weston A. Price theories of Nutrition to eat nutrient dense foods based on ancestral times. I love it and can't wait to share what I learn to anyone else looking to make a positive change in their diet.

So today I'm sharing one of my favorite and super duper fast and easy recipes I got from Everyday Paleo! They have some great recipes that Sarah Fragroso has created and I have yet to taste a bad one. She also has a book out called Everyday Paleo that has some amazing Paleo recipes too I recommend checking out. I've made this a few times when I want leftovers and have a lot of chicken. My friend Eric introduced me to this one and raved about it, so it was my turn to try.

RECIPE: Sundried Tomato Chicken Bake

INGREDIENTS:
Around 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (I get the good chicken, organic, range-free, etc), cut them to the thickness you like (I cut them in half).


8.5oz jar of julliane cut sun-dried tomatoes. (Make sure to get 8.5oz)


8 Garlic Cloves (sliced thin)


2 Tablespoons Dried Basil (This seems like a lot, but you need all of it!)


Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste


Yup thats all the ingredients you need! The jar might be a little hard to find, but I found it in the produce section on the bottom shelf under the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Throw the chicken in a baking dish and then add all the spices and mix around. Then put the garlic on top followed by the whole jar of sun-dried tomatoes, oil and all! These are what make the dish amazing. Next time I might add another half a jar because I get really cranky when I get to the last chicken and there is no more sun-dried tomatoes left (Ok I might pick some off and eat them, which could be the reason why)! Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20min and then take the foil off and bake for about another 15min until you see the tomatoes are crispy and the chicken is done!

YUM! (photo credit Eric Chin)

The chicken stays super moist and the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes taste amazing on the chicken along with the crispy tomatoes. The basil is also a great touch and doesn't over power the taste at all, which I thought it might since you use so much. The dish has tons of flavor and I usually pair it with some spinach and a paleo side dish like cauliflower mash. For a quick, simple chicken dish this one is great! You will be amazed how something so simple can taste so good. I can't fine my picture, but here are some others that looked just like it!  :-) Enjoy!