When we were in Argentina it was August and winter- a totally unusual combination for us. So, when we got to Europe we did our best to prolong our summer by hanging out in Greece and Malta for most of October. Now, however, we are ready to embrace fall in all its glory at the foot of the Pirins in Bansko, Bulgaria. We found the fruit and vegetable market and have stocked up on all things fall- persimmons, apples, pears, butternut squash and pomegranates. Oh, how I do love pomegranates! I have been so excited to use them and have been trying to come up with the perfect dish to serve them with.
I think I found it with this dish- its is the perfect blend of fall flavors and the crunchy pomegranate pips provide a juicy contrast to the earthiness of the eggplant and tangy, salty feta. My mom makes a really awesome chicken on eggplant rounds with fresh oregano and mozzarella cheese. I love that dish, but it is such a summery dish and fall is truly in the air here in Bansko. Plus, I had these pomegranates. So, I added in some tangy feta and a tomato based marinade because tomatoes and eggplants go oh-so-well together.
Pomegranates are not only beautiful, they are also really, really good for you! Pomegranates are high in fiber, their juice is rich in tannins, and some studies have shown that they have anti-atherosclerotic properties, act as anti-oxidants and even have anti-aging effects. The juice of pomegranates may even help reduce systolic blood pressure and have a positive effect on heart health. Of course, more research needs to be done to be conclusive so I’m just going to sit and snack on some pomegranate while I wait 😉
- 1½ lb Chicken Breasts
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- ¼ cup Yogurt
- 1 tsp Mint
- 1 Large Eggplant
- Salt & Pepper
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Feta Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Chopped Parsley
- Combine tomato paste, yogurt and mint in a medium bowl. Mix well until until thoroughly blended.
- Cut chicken breasts into 3-4oz pieces (imagine that the eggplant is sliced into rounds- you want your chicken pieces to be just a little bit smaller than the size of the eggplant round). Toss the chicken pieces in the marinade and marinate overnight or at least 6 hours.
- When your chicken has been sitting for a while and is all kinds of flavorful, preheat your oven to 375F. Cover a baking dish in parchment paper.
- Wash and slice your eggplant into rounds that are about ½" thick, place them on the prepared baking dish and sprinkle rounds with a bit of salt and pepper. Place a piece of marinated chicken on the top of each eggplant round. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 165F.
- Meanwhile, break up the feta cheese a little bit and toss with a pinch of dried mint and a splash of olive oil. Allow this to marinate while the chicken is cooking.
- Cut the pomegranate into fourths. Using your preferred method, remove the pips (some people swear by beating the back of the pomegranate with a spoon, others say the best way is to separate the pips from the white pith under water- I have yet to find my perfect way, so I content myself with wrestling the pips out and ending up with pomegranate everywhere).
- When the chicken is done, remove from the oven, transfer the rounds to a plate and sprinkle with feta cheese, pomegranate pips and parsley. Serve!
Instead of marinating the chicken, place fresh chicken breasts directly on the eggplant rounds. Sprinkle with a bit of oil and salt and pepper. Top with a slice or two of fresh tomato. Sprinkle the tomato with pepper and mint. Bake.
When the chicken is done, top with marinated feta, pomegranate pips and parsley.
When we were experimenting with this recipe we tried it both ways, I liked it better baked with a slice of fresh tomato, Nick liked it better with the marinade, so either way you make it, it is delicious, looks elegant and so quick!
