There are days in Andalucía when time moves slowly and cooking is an unhurried pleasure. This was not one of those days. This was a quick lunch thrown together from what was in the kitchen — a chicken breast, a jar of homemade sun-dried tomatoes, some feta, garlic, and oregano. Twenty minutes start to finish.
Sun-dried tomato chicken is one of those combinations that sounds more considered than it is. The tomatoes do most of the work — their concentrated sweetness and the oil they're packed in carry the dish without any additional sauce. The feta brings salt and creaminess. The garlic and oregano make it unmistakably Mediterranean.
I was going to have a glass of Coto de Ibedo Blanco alongside it — a Ribeiro white from Galicia, crisp and aromatic, exactly right for a summer lunch. Unfortunately, it had popped its cork in the freezer. These things happen in Andalucía in the summer.
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Feta — The Method
Ingredients (serves 1, or 2 as a starter)
- 1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- A generous handful of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 50g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
- A good sprinkle of dried oregano
- Sea salt and black pepper
- A handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Oil from the tomato jar, for frying
Method
- Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the oil from the jar.
- Heat the reserved oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds until fragrant — don't let it brown.
- Add the chicken strips and oregano. Season well with salt and pepper. Sauté for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. The timing depends on how thinly you've sliced it.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and warm through for a minute or two.
- Serve immediately with the crumbled feta scattered over the top and the flat-leaf parsley thrown on for good measure.
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken — Notes from the Casa Adora Kitchen
The tomatoes: Use your own if you have them — the recipe for homemade sun-dried tomatoes is here. Sun-dried tomato chicken works best with tomatoes packed in good olive oil. The oil from the jar is as important as the tomatoes themselves — don't discard it.
The feta: Crumble it generously. It melts slightly into the warm chicken and tomatoes and provides the salt the dish needs — go easy on the seasoning until you've tasted it with the feta on top.
The chicken: Thin strips cook quickly and evenly. Cut against the grain for the most tender result.
Serving: This sun-dried tomato chicken works as a quick lunch for one or a starter for two. Vegetable couscous alongside is a natural fit if you want something more substantial.
The Wine That Didn't Make It
The plan was a glass of Coto de Ibedo Blanco — a Ribeiro white from Galicia, crisp and aromatic, exactly the kind of wine that belongs alongside a quick summer lunch in Andalucía. It had other ideas. I'd put it in the freezer to chill quickly and forgotten about it. The cork had popped by the time I remembered.
A lesson in patience. Or in not using the freezer as a wine cooler. The sun-dried tomato chicken was excellent regardless.
This sun-dried tomato chicken recipe is part of my easy chicken dinner ideas collection. Wonky photos, proper chicken, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.
