By searing the chicken first and then finishing over top of the eggplant and tomato, you get the best of both worlds-- crispy skin, juicy meat, and only one pan to lick clean.
Ingredients
1 chicken
1/2 cup white wine or beer
1 onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2-3 eggplant (about 2 lbs total), cut into chunks
3 large tomatoes (about 2 lbs total), cut into chunks
Method
Heat oven to 375F
Cut the back from the chicken and then separate the breast from the leg quarter
Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper
In a large frying pan, heat a glug of neutral oil over medium high heat
Sear the chicken skin side down until golden brown then remove to a plate
Add the white wine, onion, and garlic and scrape up any brown bits on the pan
Reduce the wine by half
Add the eggplant and tomatoes and toss to coat
Place the chicken, skin side up, over the eggplant and tomato mixture and place in the oven
Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the eggplant tomato mixture is reduced to a thick stew (about 40 minutes)