SIMPLE PLEASURES
Jamie Oliver’s new cookbook is all about Mediterranean flavours.
5 Ingredient Mediterranean: Simple Incredible Food is a follow-up to Jamie Oliver’s first book. This time, the recipes take inspiration from Jamie’s lifelong travels around the Med. The book is packed with over 125 delicious recipes, each easy to follow. Most recipes are either meat-free or meat-reduced, and dishes include salads, soups, pasta and sweet treats. With minimal fuss and ingredients required, it’s possible to try something new and delicious every day of the week.
Inspired by some of the wonderful flavours of Lebanon, this quick dish is perfect for an easy meal. Hunting out nice fat jarred chickpeas is game-changing when it comes to both flavour and texture.
RECIPE: Garlic chicken with creamy chickpeas, spinach & sumac
Serves: 2
Total time: 18 minutes
4 cloves of garlic
2 x 150g skinless chicken breasts ½ x 700g jar of chickpeas 250g baby spinach
1 heaped teaspoon sumac
Peel the garlic cloves and slice lengthways, then place in a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, stirring regularly. Slice each chicken breast lengthways into 3 strips, then toss with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Once the garlic is nicely golden, quickly remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the flavoured oil behind. Go in with the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, turning regularly.
Remove the chicken from the pan and tip in the chickpeas (juices and all). Add the spinach, along with most of the garlic and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, then toss over the heat until the spinach has wilted and the chickpeas are hot through. Season to perfection with salt and pepper, then return the chicken to the pan and finish with the reserved garlic and a generous dusting of sumac.
ENERGY 406kcal | FAT 13.3g | SAT FAT 2.2g | PROTEIN 48.8g | CARBS 23.2g | SUGARS 3.1g | SALT 1.3g | FIBRE 1.1g
5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (20235 Ingredients Mediterranean). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2023.