Tender & crisp chicken legs recipe (with sweet tomatoes) | Chicken recipes & main courses

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tender and crisp chicken legs with sweet tomatoes

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Jamie recommends this wine to go with this recipe

tender and crisp chicken legs with sweet tomatoes

main courses | serves 4
This recipe takes literally minutes to put together but then requires slow, gentle cooking. However, in return for your patience, what happens in the pan from just a couple of ingredients is an absolute joy and never fails, so it’s a good one to serve if you have guests.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan in one layer. Throw in all the basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in your tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chilli and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone.

If you fancy, you can add some drained cannellini beans or some sliced new potatoes to the pan and cook them with the chicken. Or you can serve the chicken with some simple mashed potato. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins before serving. You could even make it part of a pasta dish – remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred it, then toss into a bowl of linguini or spaghetti and serve at once.

• from Jamie's Dinners

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ingredients

• 4 chicken legs, preferably free-range or organic, jointed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a big bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved, and ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken up into cloves
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• olive oil

optional:
• 1 x 410g tin of cannellini beans, drained
• 2 handfuls of new potatoes, scrubbed

user comments

79 comments

1. shorekey Fri 06 Nov 2009 @ 18:46 the picture shows liquid, isn't it true if really had that much liquid right after coming out of the oven then it would've never gotten crisp at all and been more like boiled chicken rather than baked?

2. maria Fri 25 Sep 2009 @ 16:33 i've cooked this dish so many times i no longer need the receipe, it's simple and absolutely
delicious!!!

3. Michelle R Fri 24 Jul 2009 @ 17:41 I have the recipe in the oven right now and it smells delicious. My only question is why doesn't it look like the photo for this recipe? The photo looks like it has liquid in the dish, but the recipe doesn't say to add any, so where does it come from?

4. eyrie Thu 02 Jul 2009 @ 11:33 Absolutely fantastic and delicious!!! I made it yesterday for me and my fiance and I could't believe how easy and simple it is and yet so tasteful and mouthwatering! Thank You for these wonderful recipes!

5. Bob Fri 19 Jun 2009 @ 18:42 Really tasty, thank you

6. ozcooks Thu 18 Jun 2009 @ 04:38 OMG - I made this last night and it is a complete hit. I threw in some sweet potatoes and it was delicious. This is the type of meal I like as a busy Mum as it took no real effort whatsoever and the kids (and chef husband) loved it!

7. Munira Wed 25 Mar 2009 @ 00:12 Love this recipe. The cannellini beans take it to a whole new level. I have used leftovers to make soup - shred the chicken, toss everything else into blender, mix - and it is amazing. One of my faves.

8. NICHOLAS BRIGHAM Fri 20 Mar 2009 @ 03:20 I love this recipe and I usually cook it once a week.
I use a garlic press so the garlic flavour infuses with the juices from the chicken and tomatoes,I always make extra for lunch the next day .I also put baked potatoes in the oven (I hate baked potatoes from a microwave oven) so I have baked potatoes so serve with jamies chilli

9. Natalie Peh Sun 15 Mar 2009 @ 16:51 The skin on the chicken thighs went crispy, the cherry tomatoes popped and went all soft and juicy and the garlic went slightly golden in the heat. The whole combination of flavours was scrumptious!

It was also very simple to make, just compile the ingredients and in it goes into the oven. Wonderful!! Please let us have more recipes like this one.

10. Carine Thu 12 Mar 2009 @ 18:46 Im trying it today for the first time........fingers crossed! hope it turns out good!

11. Mia Sat 07 Mar 2009 @ 13:25 I love this recipe, cook it all the time, usually with pasta! Parslay instead of basil also works well :)

12. lauren & ellie & andy :) Sat 14 Feb 2009 @ 13:58 HI JAMIE :).
we would like to start by saying how much we enjoy your dish of chicken and and garlic and basil and cherry tomatoes which we tend to accesorizze with pasta :).
please could you tell us what is the fat content is in this dish :)
it will not however change our love for your dish even if it is going to make us into a whale:).
we have it every week before we go dancing on a wednesday :D.

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WE ASPIRE TO BE LIKE YOU.

(by the way, andy has never had your dish but we will make it for him).

FROM LAUREN AND ELLIE AND ANDY (L).

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

13. chris Fri 13 Feb 2009 @ 15:44 HELP!
Please can someone explain the last bit of the recipe: 'Squeeze the garlic out of the skins before serving.'....Into what? where?. and then what's next?
It sounds great - but I don't want to spoil it.
Many thanks.

14. Kim Sat 07 Feb 2009 @ 03:42 I commented on this recipe on April 5th. I've made it a few times since then, most recently tonight, and my whole family loves it. We throw in more of everything for our family of 5 including a whole jar of pre-peeled garlic cloves. (Saves some prep work.) The kids fight over the cloves to put on bread or crackers so we need a lot of them. I use triple the amount of chicken legs or we sub thighs and we no longer put the potatoes in the recipe, but we do put in 3 (THREE) cans of cannellini beans because they are so delicious. It takes about 45 minutes longer to cook than the 90 minutes called for in the recipe but it's worth it, and the house smells incredible the entire time!

15. tom Sun 25 Jan 2009 @ 13:35 i love this recipe!!
it's so easy when you have people coming round.
one dish and in the oven.
relax, have a drink while it cooks and then perfection!

16. Claudia Sun 18 Jan 2009 @ 15:16 Wow!
This recipe is sooo good and so easy!
Jamie you're the best!!

17. Anushka Tue 09 Dec 2008 @ 13:34 I tried this last night and it was lovely apart from the fact I added a little too much salt! Boohoo! I'll definitely be making it again though and leave the seasoning till the end.

18. berta 25 Thu 27 Nov 2008 @ 14:43 yuuuuuummmy gonna try this recipy today - am not feeling well today so i am going for a simple dish - i love chicken and roasted veggies - they are my favourites...
will roast a dish of potatoes and onions too
i thinki am gonna put the tomatoes and fresh basil a bit later cos i am afraid they might get burnt

xxx

19. Nicole Tue 25 Nov 2008 @ 14:13 Cooked this for the family last night. IT was so easy to prepare and cook, and OH SO TASTY!!!!! Served it with linguini. Next time might try new potatoes, or on crusty bread with melted parmesan, or with shell pasta. My fussy 2 year old loved this, as did my 7 month old (she couldn't suck enough off the pasta!!!). Wasn't able to get yellow tomatoes, used double amount of cherry tomatoes as well as the plum. Didn't put in garlic due to allergy.

20. Sharon Levy Sat 15 Nov 2008 @ 00:01 Yummy, everyone loved it (family of seven), and that's a huge feat in itself. Jamie, what can I say, you are the best! xo

21. Mhairi Wed 15 Oct 2008 @ 21:27 Made this tonight for my other half and very fussy 8 year old daughter. After asking what the red bits were and explaining that it was just like tomato pasta sauce but better, she ate it up, I added in the new potatos in slices, yum yum! Very good im off to make the chocolate biscuits off this site tomorrow with my daugher lets hope they turn out ok. I'm a good cook but not so hot at baking!
Jamie well done in all you are doing but please please take something to scotland, we need you up here!!

22. Sanny Tue 23 Sep 2008 @ 20:17 I made this chicken for dinner tonight and it tasted absolutely fantastic. I used dried basil, dried crushed chillies and mixed cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes and served the chicken with spaghetti and wilted spinach. Everything tasted absolutely yummy and exactly just like what I got from an Italian restaurant. I still have some leftover and I can't wait to have them again for my tea tomorrow. Thanks Jamie!!

23. Tom Tue 09 Sep 2008 @ 11:42 Try making this dish with those little chickens (i'm dutch, they're called "Piepkuiken"), use em whole. Throw in some big mushrooms, quarted. And some quarted sjalot's. Serve this with papardelle and it's an amazing pasta dish.

allways a winner

24. andy Tue 15 Jul 2008 @ 22:22 saw you do chicken legs with croutons, looked spot on, any chance you could pass on the recipe.
many thanks

25. alisha Mon 14 Jul 2008 @ 06:27 great recipe i cook it all the time and it always goes down well thanks

26. Mareen Sun 06 Jul 2008 @ 11:59 just lovely! i liked how the tomatoes soaked up the garlic and the cilli, really delicious!!

27. Claude Fri 13 Jun 2008 @ 16:03 Another winner!

Thanks again Jamie
Claude

28. Jacquie Wed 11 Jun 2008 @ 13:12 Wed 11 Jun 2008 @ 12:53
O M G i just made this but i threw in some chopped orange pepper instead of the chilli and i used 5 garlic cloves crushed instead of whole- i also threw in some baby charlotte new potatoes and some some smoked bacon torn into pieces- - the flavour is orgasmic i could eat this 7 days a week i love chicken

29. Jacquie Wed 11 Jun 2008 @ 12:53 O M G i just made this but i threw in some chopped orange pepper instead of the chilli and i used 5 garlic cloves crushed instead of whole- i also thre in some baby charlotte new potatoes - - the flavour is orgasmic i could eat this 7 days a week i love chicken

30. Ellen Tue 10 Jun 2008 @ 10:01 Wonderful dish. Love the flavours. Big fan of jamies cooking all the way from down under. Favourite dish in my house :)

31. Nicksvic Wed 28 May 2008 @ 17:07 Such an easy dish to throw together. I also add red onions and celery cut in chunks. I left it to cook for 3 hours last time (husband late home from work!!) and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken just melts in your mouth. Couldn't even be mad with hubby because I'm sure if he had been home on time, it wouldn't have been half as nice!!!

32. Svetlana Mon 26 May 2008 @ 21:48 One of the best chicken recipes ever! I just made it with potatoes for the second time (burned half of it of course) and yet it is perfect again! (see, I am not THAT great with cooking :D ) Oh, and I got the recipe from the "Jamie's Dinners" - yep I bought it :)

33. Pen Mon 19 May 2008 @ 15:11 Made this last week, minus the beans but served with crusty bread - my husband scored it 10/10 - said it was the best meal he'd has in ages!!! Making it again tonight as its just so quick and simple make - perfect for when you have the Monday blues...

34. Lisa W Mon 19 May 2008 @ 13:37 This receipe is AMAZING ! one of the best on the site, easy to make and tastes delicious.

35. Lisa W Mon 19 May 2008 @ 13:36 This receipe is AMAZING ! one of the best on the site, easy to make and tastes delicious.

36. andrew jones Sat 03 May 2008 @ 12:20 this meal is fantastic and sooo easy to make

37. Tibi Sun 06 Apr 2008 @ 19:50 it's beautiful

38. Kim Sat 05 Apr 2008 @ 06:49 I tried to make this tonight and 90 minutes wasn't long enough. (Maybe my oven isn't accurate.) It was still good, though! I threw in the beans and potatoes; next time I'll use 2 cans of beans and skip the potatoes just to save the work of washing and halving them. (I used a whole bag of fingerlings.) My husband and daughters loved the dish; my 5 year old son wouldn't touch it, but oh, well- maybe he'll try it next time. (More for the rest of us!) The smell of it cooking was AMAZING!

I like all of the comments with suggestions about preparing the dish- it helps when I'm trying out a new recipe, even the comments where it didn't turn out. I learn from what other people have tried, so thanks to everyone for sharing! :)

39. addy from Perth, Australia Thu 27 Mar 2008 @ 00:32 OH MY GOD JAMIE I LUV THIS DISH!!!!

I have given every one in the office a copy, it is insane!!!
Luv your stuff keep it coming.

40. Tanya Wed 26 Mar 2008 @ 04:59 This is a really lovely dish I as well used the beans and potatoes but used a whole chicken cut up nice to have the different cuts. My kids really loved it couldnt belive how they polished it off for fussy eaters!

41. Joshua Tue 25 Mar 2008 @ 18:07 This was wonderful

42. At Home with Kim Vallee Wed 19 Mar 2008 @ 13:16 I make this delicious quite often, with or without potatoes. I found out that my large tagine pot gives me the best results with my gas stove. Everyone loves it!

I like to serve it as light main course with slices of rustic bread or fancy grill cheese sandwiches make with old age cheddar flavored with Port. Delicious!

43. Sandra Fri 14 Mar 2008 @ 22:27 Jamie, thank you so much for this fabulous recipe! It's so easy to make and fills the house with wonderful aromas while cooking. I added white wine, and a sprinkle of cayenne to give it some zip. Wonderful! I'm making it again tonight. Keep up the great work.

44. Bill Taylor Wed 05 Mar 2008 @ 23:58 Hi Jamie - In what part of England do you live??
Do you accept visitors from Canada??
Thanks
Bill

45. Cyndi Thu 28 Feb 2008 @ 21:17 this is fabulous and easy - DEFINITELY add the CANNELINI beans - yummy

46. Tish P Suffolk Mon 11 Feb 2008 @ 10:57 Fab recipe the boys love it. Freezers well for us on night shifts! Well done again Jamie. When your in Bury show me how too do gravy. I make a mean fruit cake so come in and try it with the family.

47. Little Miss Sunshine Tue 29 Jan 2008 @ 21:21 I'm at the moment far from my homecountry Austria, and am experiencing the best year whatsoever in America for one schoolyear as an exchange student..
It's oficially known that American food is not one ofthe healthiest or full of nutritions and especially not in Oklahoma :))
But I looove your recipes and especially this one, because it makes me feel soooo ood and it remembers me of my mum and me cooking together in our kitchen all of your fabulous dishes. It's so simple but has a special kick to it and it is the only dinner that I can definitely make right this weekend :) , and show my host family what real food is...
It will stimulate all of their senses because that's what this chicken dish is doing you besides making you crazy for it and you will never wantto eat anything else!!
With best regards from sunny beautiful Oklahoma...
TW

48. Teasle Sun 27 Jan 2008 @ 15:10 Works equally well with rabbit!

Well done Jamie - another triumph over Gordon.

xx

49. Rachael Sun 20 Jan 2008 @ 16:10 Wow, really loved this dish. Never imagined it would be so easy and taste soooo great. Chilli gives a great kick, made a little mistake 2nd time around and did'nt add enough was'nt as nice so wont do it again!

50. tanya Thu 10 Jan 2008 @ 14:18 Just stretching my legs in the kitchen, Jamie you're helping me understand fusions, Thank You kindly for sharing your talents so openly.

51. matt Mon 07 Jan 2008 @ 02:06 Awesome flavors,so simple and yet they work so well together,cannellini beans are great with it, and l used a good crusty bread to soak up the souce and clean up the pot. l could not get enough

52. Molly Thu 03 Jan 2008 @ 23:47 I am not a good cook by any means, but i tried this recipe on a whim and I have to say, it was the most successful dish I have made to date. It went down very well with my family!

53. Shameena Tue 01 Jan 2008 @ 17:42 Great recipe! Simple yet delicious. I will definately be cooking this again!

Thanks

54. Joanna Mon 24 Dec 2007 @ 00:01 I had this dish smelting away in the oven for an extra hour whilst I got the kids into bed. Because it cooks so slowly it made it even better. It was absolutely delicious - I served it with jackets and laid the chicken legs on a bed of rocket drizzled with balsamic. Perfect.

55. Juliana Thu 06 Dec 2007 @ 13:30 Great recepy! I added a bit of balsamic vinager, and the tomatoes go incredibly sweet, hmmm. I loved it. Thanks Jamie.

56. Stacey Tue 04 Dec 2007 @ 04:42 As a student I often find it hard to find the time for slow cooked meals, but this is so easy and tasty! As one of my favourites, I cook it all the time, especially when I have guests.
p.s. I love the garlic.

57. Mikey Sun 02 Dec 2007 @ 13:15 I tried this for a party last night and it was great. I let it cook for 3 hours as i wanted the juices to reduce. Put heaps of basil and the beans and wine are a must. I added a teaspoon of sugar towards the end as well. I felt the garlic was a bit much though. Great dish!

58. Lay Sat 24 Nov 2007 @ 23:27 Such a great dish! I have made it probably a hundred times. I add some cubed mushrooms (after 45 minutes) - beautiful!

59. Cynthia Sun 18 Nov 2007 @ 19:28 I made this recipe for the first time while hosting dinner with friends. Absolutely fabulous. Great flavor, simple to prepare, lovely!

60. Vape Mon 12 Nov 2007 @ 19:36 All good. First time making tonight.

Some tips for the top:

1. De-seed that chilli! Yowza.

2. A glass of dry white wine would keep things moister.

3. Squeeze a lemon into the proccedings at the halfway point wold lift thins again.

4. double the beans!

61. Liz Sat 27 Oct 2007 @ 16:27 I love this recipe. I make it a couple of times a month and it is so easy! If I'm really pushed for time I fling the lot in the slow cooker instead of the main oven, along with some new potatoes. The end result isnt as crip but just as delicious. Leftover chicken meat is lovely in sandwiches,

62. Lucy Sun 14 Oct 2007 @ 07:41 This is one of the best recipe i've ever tried. Loved by all and so simple and easy to do. Chuck everything in, throw it into the oven and ready in time for dinner. I like it with a but more zang so i included some lemon pepper in mine...yum.

63. Wim Sat 15 Sep 2007 @ 19:19 I must have done someting wrong? The tomatoes make the whole thing to drown in water and go boiling. Is that supposed to happen?

64. Anna Wed 12 Sep 2007 @ 19:21 Very easy to cook and prepare. The dish tasted fabulous. Very impressed. Will definately recommend website and recipe to family and friends. Thanks

65. jo l Wed 12 Sep 2007 @ 17:40 this is one of those receipes i cook over &over again for children who are 1,2& 8 it is so simple to prepare but tastes fantastic!!!. i tend to use drumsticks & thighs for the children. i also included whole muhrooms as my daughter loves them. jo x

66. Daniel Sun 26 Aug 2007 @ 18:27 OMG!! That is te best chicken i have ever made! Yes it takes a little long to prepare (for me it took about two hours to bake the chicken so that it literally fell off the bones), but otherwise its awesome! I also refrigerated some of the left overs and had it a couple of days afterward (microwaved it), and it tased just as good! I finally got myself a lunch packed from home that I will enjoy! I think the key is to put plenty of olive oil to drench it and lots of tomatoes(enough to fill up whatever pan you are using) and enough sea salt (I actually thought I was putting way too much some on all sides of the chicken, but I think I would have regretted putting less. It was perfectly seasoned with enough salt). Anyway, hope everyone has a good time with this one!

67. Lillian Sat 25 Aug 2007 @ 18:31 absolutely fantastic!

68. Monika Wed 22 Aug 2007 @ 14:59 I have made this twice in the last 2 weeks, with the optional beans and Nicola potatoes. The second time I used 2 tins of beans instead of one - you can never have enough beans! Simple to make, tastes absolutely fantastic and is now on my regular meals list.

69. di Tue 21 Aug 2007 @ 15:48 recipe sounds delicious...definitely gonna try to make it!

70. safwanlukman Sun 19 Aug 2007 @ 08:10 p.h.a.t !! :P

71. faye Sat 18 Aug 2007 @ 23:00 As I live alone, am always looking for one dish meals-
Perfect fo two dinners!A1

72. Thomas Fri 17 Aug 2007 @ 19:53 I made this dish today and I was totaly suprised when this flavour touched my tongue. I've never imagined that you could do such a fantastic meal with such simple engridients and such an easy way to make. I'll have it again.

73. Emma, age 14 Fri 10 Aug 2007 @ 14:45 i tried making this dish for my family and it didn't turn out too well, the basil leaves went black and the tomatoes had shrivelled up , i followed the instructions real carefully and i don't understand why it went wrong, p.s i chucked some yellow peppers in there instead of yellow tomatoes.

74. Mel Fri 10 Aug 2007 @ 05:00 Just have one thing to say, absolutely wonderful dish, keep em coming

75. alma Thu 26 Jul 2007 @ 22:39 A perfect dish!!!

76. John S. Purdon Sun 22 Jul 2007 @ 16:42 This is a fabulous dish. I cook for myself and my wife as she is handicapped and the simplicity of the reccipe is extraordinary and the result is delicious! Well don Jamie!

77. Jan Carley Tue 17 Jul 2007 @ 02:17 Made tender & crisp chicken legs for dinner tonight. It had an amazing flavor & so simple to prepare! Could not find red pepper so I used a serrano. I don't know the difference, but it tasted delicious! Will make again!!

78. JennyR Thu 21 Jun 2007 @ 19:04 Throw some white wine in along with the tomatoes, use cannelini beans & sliced new potatoes together and you've got perfection!

79. Maria da Luz Thu 21 Jun 2007 @ 18:39 Just perfect.....