Impressive but easy chicken dish

[Lobsterquadrille2]

I'm cooking a birthday meal for a chef later this month. I hardly ever cook for anyone apart from DD and me. Does anyone have any ideas for an impressive yet simple (and foolproof for a novice cook) chicken dish?

Jamie's southern Italian chicken is tasty and fairly simple.

Otherwise if you aren't confident in the kitchen I would just play it really simple, buy the highest quality, in season ingredients and let them do the talking. Roast an organic chicken with plenty of of lemon and herbs and serve with jersey royals and salad or summer veg (maybe griddled courgettes, asparagus and peas).

The roast chicken idea sounds lovely. And going for summery accompaniments.

Chefs always say how pleased they are that anyone cooks anything for them!

Thank you! I like both these ideas. And yes, he has said exactly that - happy to be cooked for as it makes a change.

Donna Hay's chicken baked with olives, lemon and capers is lovely.
Mix chicken breasts with cherry tomatoes, stoned olives, lemon zest and capers. Drizzle over olive oil.

Bake for 25 mins.

Serve with new potatoes and greens.

Missed out season it.

I'm a chef and LOVE it when people cook for me. It doesn't matter how simple it is, just that someone's gone to the effort.

The organic chicken with seasonal veg and jersey royals as suggested would pretty much be my dream relaxed meal. Gorgeous fresh, quality seasonal ingredients, well cooked. Easy but perfect, with plenty of time for you to sit and chat, not be chained to the kitchen. The real reason id be there would be to spend time with you!!

Roast chicken, roasted new potatoes and Rachel Roddy fennel and orange salad (on Guardian website). Winner here always - fennel salad very pretty to look at!

Thank you all! I've googled a couple of people I've never heard of (Donna Hay's recipes look great) and will go with the roast organic chicken, especially given coffeeplease's comments. I've not cooked for him yet, hence the slight nervousness.

This is lovely
www.google.co.uk/amp/www.food.com/amp/recipe/chicken-breast-baked-in-a-bag-with-mushrooms-butter-white-wine-and-thyme-38880

Donna Hay's slow roast chicken is my go to method now, not necessarily the potatoes but it's a solid recipe, gives you sauce, and looks fucking awesome.

www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/lemon-thyme-roasted-chicken

My aunt quite often makes chicken Marbella when cooking for a crowd. It's a bit of a random assortment of ingredients, but is always delicious. Best bit is you do all the prep the day before www.google.co.uk/amp/www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chicken-marbella-silver-palate-cookbook-1277030/amp

BigCityBoy, that was the first roast I cooked. It's my go to still. Divine.

This chicken and bacon casserole is very easy and tasty

tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/chicken-and-bacon-casserole.html?

Nigella lemon roast chicken with easy mash. It's sooo delicious and very easy
www.cookstr.com/recipes/lemon-roast-chicken-with-lazy-mash

These all look lovely. I know that it's supposed to "burn off" but I couldn't risk putting any alcohol in anything - otherwise I now have many choices - thank you all.

OP in that case out in water/a stock cube/veg water to the Donna Hay recipe - the point is the moisture.

Boy thank you for that advice - I did wonder if it would take anything away if I just left the wine out!

I think generally you can replace wine with something else (obviously not coq au vin or whatever) - water, water with a cube of it's a large volume.