Trouble With Toast

As much as it pains the foodie in me, I have been known to turn to Let’s Dish to provide easy, fast, pre-made entrees that I can just pop in an oven or skillet when I’m feeling lazy.  However, that simplicity comes with a pretty hefty price tag, and it also requires me to rent a Zipcar and head out to the ‘burbs.  Bummer.

So, when I saw a recipe in Real Simple magazine for this make-ahead meal, I was really excited.  Would it be easy, tasty, and affordable?  Yes, yes, and yes!

• 1 lemon
  28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  8 sprigs thyme
  1 tablespoon capers
  4 small chicken thighs
  4 small chicken drumsticks
  Kosher salt and pepper
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  4 1-quart resealable plastic freezer bags

To freeze: Slice the lemon into rounds. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes and their liquid, lemon, thyme, and capers. Divide them among the 4 plastic freezer bags. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 leg and 1 thigh to each bag. Freeze, for up to 3 months, until ready to cook

To cook: Heat oven to 400° F. Remove the bags of chicken and tomatoes from the freezer (you’ll need 1 bag of chicken and tomatoes for each serving). Empty the contents of each bag into a baking dish. Drizzle with the oil, using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each serving. Roast until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 50 minutes.