Roasted chicken breast recipe (with pancetta, leeks & thyme) | Chicken recipes & main courses

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roasted chicken breast with pancetta, leeks and thyme

roasted chicken breast with pancetta, leeks and thyme

main courses | serves 1
Make this recipe for one in a snug-fitting baking dish or to save on washing-up, a little tinfoil tray.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Put 1 chicken breast, skin removed, in a bowl. Trim and wash a large leek, remove the outer leaves, then slice it into 0.5cm/¼ inch pieces. Add these to the bowl with the leaves of a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a good glug of olive oil, small knob of butter, a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a small swig of white wine and toss together. Place your leek and flavourings from the bowl into the tray, then wrap the chicken breast in 6 or 7 slices of pancetta. This will not only flavour the chicken but also protect it while it cooks. Try and bend the sides of the tray in towards the chicken so the leeks don't burn during cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, place a couple of whole thyme sprigs on top and cook in the middle of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

• from Cook With Jamie

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ingredients

user comments

40 comments

1. Lizz Mon 25 Jan 2010 @ 17:57 I had my heart set on making this for dinner tonight. I stopped off at the grocery store on my way home only to find they had no oregano or leeks. So here's what I did: I bought 1 zucchini, 1 eggplant and an onion. I chopped those up and seasoned with salt, pepper and rosemary (dried). then mixed in a bowl with the chicken breasts, wine, butter and olive oil. I put the veg in the bottom of a baking pan and then wrapped the chicken with pancetta and put those on top. drizzled with oil and into the oven. I made some roast potatoes to go with it. It was important to have something crunchy to go with the meal, since the veg do get pretty soggy (as is to be expected from zucchini and eggplant).
This recipe was soooo good! I'll definately be making this one again!

2. Louise Thu 12 Nov 2009 @ 13:16 I am at work now, and I have guests coming for dinner tonight and am wondering what I can cook for them. I then remembered this dish, which is really easy to do, looks impressive when you take it out of the oven and put it on the table in front of your diners, and tastes fabulous! (of course) My lot really enjoyed it! So not having my JO recipe book to hand, I've tracked the recipe on the internet, so how pleased am I? Thats dinner sorted.
Thanks Jamie, very much recommended.

3. Rico Sun 21 Jun 2009 @ 00:59 Following the 'Use what ya got' philosophy: I used prosciutto, rosmary, fennel, leeks, dried tomato. I even started with a frozen chicken breast. The cooking time was about the same as what's listed. The dried tomatoes really provided some zing. Was absolutely delicious and was dead easy.

4. Elli Thu 18 Jun 2009 @ 12:36 I made this last night, mmmmh what a hit, the leeks absorb the yummy flavours from the chicken and pancetta. Never knew leeks could taste so good. Even my fussy hubby gave it the thumbs up :)

5. Simon Lewis Tue 19 May 2009 @ 20:00 I want to cook this recipe for a group of six, what ingredients do i need and in what quantitys?

The section for ingredients on this page is blank.

Kind Regards

Si

6. Pauline Sat 28 Feb 2009 @ 05:38 I made this and used a quince paste which I put under pancetta. It really gave a special flavour.

7. Dave Mon 23 Feb 2009 @ 15:31 I added a bit lemon zest right before I popped it in the oven and served it with a big piece of rustic Italian bread for sopping up the leftover leek/oil/butter sauce….

Absolutely fantastic recipe!!

8. Kaylie Magestro Mon 23 Feb 2009 @ 15:25 I just bought "Cook with Jamie" this past Friday and I made this for a couple friends Sunday night. Usually I'm very, "ooh are you sure its ok? be honest." But with this, out of the park!! So simple, but yet the flavors were wonderful. The leeks especially. Served it with a Bogle Chardonnay. Can't wait to try more!

9. Bruce Cane Sun 22 Feb 2009 @ 02:11 Very tasty and easy to make. Served it with some Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes tossed with olive oil and Herbs de Provence. Might substitute prosciutto next time to reduce the fat and have a have crisper coating.

10. bob Sun 14 Dec 2008 @ 23:01 delicous meal just superb recommendend it to all my friends. i just loved it

11. Cheryl Tattersall Wed 10 Dec 2008 @ 23:48 Hi Jamie,

My boyfriend and I have recently moved to Australia from Cornwall and really fancied some of your home cooking - hopped on the net and printed off this recipe - wow-wee, yum,yum,yum !

We've also just bought your Ministry of Food book and have found it so useful we have bought a copy for our families for Christmas (fulfilling our pledge at page 15 across the miles!)

Merry Christmas !

Cheryl and Dan

12. Oksana Wed 10 Dec 2008 @ 15:43 Jamie, would like to thank you for your precise guiding, I did exacty what's written, which was resulted by a high appreciation from my friends! Though I confessed I was not the whole my idea, mostly the one of Jamies's:)))))

13. Jon Tue 02 Dec 2008 @ 09:21 For those of you looking for "the ingredients", after months of decoding I have finally cracked Jamie's secret code... what you need to do is... read the recipe. The ingredients are sneakily hidden within the words that make up the recipe. If you look, you will find...
1 chicken breast
a large leek
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
a good glug of olive oil
small knob of butter
a pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
a small swig of white wine
6 or 7 slices of pancetta
...I know, his accent threw me off at first, too.

14. Robina Sun 16 Nov 2008 @ 19:23 sounds great where are the ingregients

15. Edith Pashley Sun 09 Nov 2008 @ 12:12 Absolutely brilliant,easy and quick to prepare.
Thanks very much Jamie you are a star!!

16. Beckz Wed 08 Oct 2008 @ 12:19 I made this last night, my boyfriend turned his nose up when i told him what i was cooking but once he tried it he was amazed!! Was so easy to make and tasted perfect! Is defenatly a new favourite dish in our house! I served this with steamed veg and a little rocket saled. Thanks Jamie was lush xx

17. Rob Sat 04 Oct 2008 @ 19:15 I used lemon juice instead of white wine, added mushrooms, courgette and aubergine to the leek, and cut a pocket in the chicken which I stuffed with a tablespoon of pesto before wrapping it - quick, easy and very tasty!

18. Sarah Fri 25 Jul 2008 @ 11:20 Where are the ingredients?? I really want to make this dish, but can't without the ingredients. Please help!

19. dinah Sun 20 Jul 2008 @ 10:25 made this friday, was lovely,me and my husband cooks a dish every friday from jamies book, this was easy and taste goood

20. Jane Tue 15 Jul 2008 @ 09:36 This is so easy and really delicious! I tried this as a 'one dish' meal by adding cooked quinoa to the baking dish first, then a layer of raw spinach, then the leeks, chicken etc as Jamie describes in his recipe. I didn't have white wine so used sake instead, and it was great!

21. Jan Tue 24 Jun 2008 @ 17:18 I made this chicken last night and it was very tasty. I used 4 chicken breasts baked in a 9x13 dish. I sliced and lightly sauteed some mushrooms that I needed to use up and added them to the sliced leeks. Placed the chicken breasts on top. Seasoned well with salt, and freshly ground pepper and fresh thyme leaves (removed from stems). Substituted thinly sliced bacon for the pancetta. Drizzled with olive oil, dotted with butter. Yummy and low carb meal for the hubby!

22. ryan Tue 10 Jun 2008 @ 13:31 where are the ingredients?

23. Trace Thu 15 May 2008 @ 12:08 I've made this one a few times, the kids love it, I'm not a lover of Pancetta so I used bacon instead, makes for a very nice meal and is extreamly easy to make.

24. martin ryan dewhurst Sat 03 May 2008 @ 15:30 big fan of cookin love the food my waistline will confirm, dont have enough time, ingredience or utencils to enjoy it to the fullest just found this site like it alot see you all soon.

25. Susanne Wed 30 Apr 2008 @ 08:58 I am one of the world's worst cooks (my sons will confirm this), but have tried this receipe 3 times now and every time it turns out great and my sons eat it all and want me to cook it again. I've passed the receipe onto friends saying if I can cook this and it turns out fantastic, anyone can do it !!!

26. Saz Wed 12 Mar 2008 @ 15:11 eh?

27. lisa Thu 06 Mar 2008 @ 19:12 Good wholesome meal. I did this with roasted tomatoes on the vine in balsamic vinegar. A cheesy potato would have given it more body as I do agree it needs something to make it less plain and give it a bit of umph.

28. AndyD Thu 28 Feb 2008 @ 18:45 Great recipe which I have cooked a couple of times - nice one ! However, gto to comment on the "save washing up and use a foil tray" idea -not very environmentally friendly encouraging us to go all disposable esp. not with aluminium

29. will Thu 28 Feb 2008 @ 08:33 Made this last night and it was delicious. Had it with some potatoes, swede, leeks and onions I all roasted with the chicken, so easy and incredibly tasty.

30. Katie Lou Wed 20 Feb 2008 @ 16:55 Fan-flippin-tastic! I am officially "the worst cook in the world" and I had so many compliments - very easy to do and very very tasty - thank you!

31. Eva Tue 05 Feb 2008 @ 15:43 This is DELICIOUS, had it with fine beans roasted in olive oil and a little salt and a rocket salad. Very yummy thank you!

32. Lesley R Sat 02 Feb 2008 @ 13:59 Loved this recipe. Not usually a big fan of chicken breasts but this was very tasty. Served it with creamy potato gratin (Nigella recipe) and cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. Yummy on a cold winter night!!

33. Helen C Thu 31 Jan 2008 @ 19:37 Fantastic recipe, i am not very good at measuring quantities so this was very easy to do. I would like to know if anybody has used normal bacon as we found the pancetta a bit salty after a while. I will definetly try this again but I may substitute the Pancetta for bacon instead.

34. Annabel H Sun 27 Jan 2008 @ 11:00 Bit tasteless - went a bit watery for my liking - just tasted of boiled chicken with leeks - I added a layer of cheese under the pancetta but it didn't help much - very plain.

35. Jose Tue 22 Jan 2008 @ 15:54 Wow Superb it was a nice and easy dinner Thanks Very MUCH!

36. Helen Sun 20 Jan 2008 @ 23:59 Did this for an easy dinner and it was great. Quick and very straightforward (trust me, I'm no chef): you can throw it together and forget it for half an hour to have a drink and chat. The outcome was really tasty. Would certainly recommend it.

37. Thomas Sat 19 Jan 2008 @ 20:49 I'm a bit l8 now for any suggestions as u wanted to serve it today but why not try this: Get some nice potatos, carve a whole round about 1 cm in the middle of each and fill it with a stip of rosemary and a slice of speck. Anothter nice tip is to slice some potatos into matchsticks and deepfry them with some rosemary. Absolutly delicious with some lemonsalt sprinkled over.

38. Ann Lucas Thu 17 Jan 2008 @ 21:10 Was thinking of making this recipe for friends on Saturday and wondered if you served it with anything else? Roasted vegs or pasta perhaps? Any suggestions most gratefully received. Thanks.

39. Kay Rogers Tue 15 Jan 2008 @ 01:05 fantastic. thanks. So easy to prepare and tasted as good as anything I have had in expensive restaurants. I stirred some Creme fresh into the left over juice and it made a gorgeous sauce which complemented the chicken.

40. carly Mon 14 Jan 2008 @ 16:33 I made this the other night for a groupd for dinner and it was a big hit! I had to use prosciutto for the pancetta since I couldn't find any sliced pancetta. It turned out great. Thanks so much Jamie!