Chicken with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes in Foil

There is an excellent page in Jamie Oliver’s cookbook “Cook with Jamie” that describes various ways to cook chicken breast wrapped in foil. This is one of them (with a few minor changes). Again, I highly recommend this book--this page is worth the purchase price alone!
I apologize for two chicken recipes in a row--I try very hard to avoid serving the same protein two nights in a row; however, today there was no school and my older daughter wanted to help with dinner. This recipe is one of the easiest I know and perfect for a nine year to do, pretty much, on her own!

Chicken with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes in Foil

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast--flattened (separated in two)
12 stalks asparagus, trimmed (sliced in small discs up to one inch before tip)
12 cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
3 sprigs rosemary (2 sprigs along with leaves only from the fourth one)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
‘glug’ of white wine (one you would enjoy drinking)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in large bowl and season with salt and pepper (rub into the meat). Add the veggies and rosemary leaves along with the olive oil. Mix together with your hands until olive oil is spread evenly (kids love this step--just make sure they can really scrub hands when done and that they don’t squish the tomatoes!). Season once more with salt and pepper. Take out two sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil. Place veggies in center of both sheets (divide evenly). Put chicken pieces over veggies and garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs. Fold up the sides around the chicken. When you have the chicken and veggies secure (not able to leak out), add a splash of white wine. Now seal up the packets and place on a cookie sheet.
Cook in oven for 25-30 minutes. Take out and carefully remove a top foil (watch out for steam). Let sit five minutes. Remove the rosemary sprigs and serve chicken with the veggies.


Note--Tomatoes are best in late summer but since the tomato is not the main flavor of the dish, it’s OK to use the rather bland out of season cherry tomato.