Mark's Summertime Woodfired Baked Chicken ...

Though the hot summer weather is upon us, you can still enjoy good oven baked chicken. In some regions of Europe, the summer kitchen is still used. It is the kitchen that is either in the basement of the main house or a small outdoor building near the main house.

The summer kitchen was and is still used during the hotter months so that the main house was/is not unnecessarily heated from the daily cooking/baking. Now, if you have central air conditioning, using the oven may generate some extra heat in the kitchen but it will not over heat the rest of the house...or just cook outdoors. We can recognize today's modern outdoor patio kitchen as yesterday's summer kitchen since it serves the same purpose.

Now, for this dish you will need to have: as many chicken breasts (bone in/skin on) per dinner guest. Garden fresh zucchini, basil pesto and vermicelli 'angel hair' pasta. Getting started: pre-heat your oven to 375f. Take a glass baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Lay the breasts in skin side up.

Sprinkle over the top your favorite spices/seasoning. As for Mark's summertime preferences: any fruit infused cooking sherry/vinegar, garlic powder, ground  coriander, sea salt, paprika and dried herbs.

















Drizzle over the top of the chicken a bit more olive oil, garnish with rosemary and or lavender and bake on 350f until the chicken is fully cooked (if you have/can use an outdoor wood fired oven then follow the instructions for that type of oven). In that cooking time, prepare any side you like. Mark's choice is garden fresh fried zucchini in butter and olive oil with a tsp of basil pesto served with a delicate vermicelli pasta.

~ Tutti a Tavola!