Easy Ratatouille with Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken leg quarters
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon picked fresh thyme leaves
• 1 small Italian eggplant, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• Freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a 12-inch skillet and warm it over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Set the chicken in the pan skin-side down, then leave it alone until the underside is well browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brown the second side for about 5 minutes longer. Move the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
2. Turn the burner to medium, add the additional tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, and warm it until it shimmers. Stir in the onions with a pinch of salt, and cook until they just start to soften and pick up a little color, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook just until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
3. Tip in the eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash, and toss them through the onions. Add the tomatoes and stock, stirring to bring everything together. Tuck the chicken pieces into the sauce, then adjust the heat so the pan stays at a simmer. Cook, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with basil and grated parmesan, and serve.