Roasted Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes & Paprika

We just had a gorgeous weekend in Dallas.  70 degrees, sunny...  Those ice days we had a couple of weeks ago?  They're just a distant memory. 

We've moved on, people.  It's time to GRILL.

Or rather, it would be time to grill, if our courtyard didn't presently look like this:

Our apartment building has been under some heavy duty construction for almost a year.  

When we brought Knox home from the hospital in August it was to a serene, peaceful apartment where the only sounds outside our windows were those of crickets chirping, drills screeching, bricks and concrete falling, cranes lifting, hammers pounding, and workmen shouting.  This kid ought to be able to sleep through anything.

The workers are almost done now (thankfully!), but not quite.  The courtyard and pool area (where the grills used to be) is still "out of order."

Since we wanted to grill this weekend, and couldn't, I pulled out this flavorful chicken recipe instead.  I discovered it about a year ago at Epicurious.com.  It satisfied our hankering for some good meat and helped us forget (for one night at least) our present no-grill status.  

This chicken recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal but tasty (and pretty!) enough for a dinner party. 

 

  Roasted Chicken Breasts with 

Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes & Paprika

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves

1 Tbl. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

1/3 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt (I have also used sour cream)

4 chicken breast halves 

1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1 (12-oz.) container cherry tomatoes

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Preheat oven to 450.  Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.  Pour 1 tsp. spiced oil mixture into small bowl; whisk in yogurt and set aside for sauce.  Place chicken on large rimmed baking sheet.  Rub 2 Tbl. spiced oil mixture over chicken.  Add beans, tomatoes and 1/2 cup cilantro to remaining spiced oil mixture; toss to coat.  Pour bean mixture around chicken.  Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20-30 minutes.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cilantro.  Transfer chicken to plates.  Spoon bean mixture over top.  Serve with yogurt sauce.