Chicken Pomodoro Delight (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken braised in fresh tomato basil sauce with classic Italian flavors and Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Pomodoro Sauce

04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - 1 tsp sugar
12 - 20 fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Garnish

13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Fresh basil leaves

# Directions:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté the finely chopped onion for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes and diced fresh tomatoes. Add dried oregano, chili flakes if using, and sugar to balance the acidity. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
05 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - Stir the torn basil leaves into the sauce and simmer for 2 more minutes. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and additional fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes like it simmered all day but the whole thing comes together in under an hour.
  • It is naturally gluten free so you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
  • Those torn basil leaves stirred in at the end release a fragrance that makes your kitchen smell like a tiny trattoria in Rome.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the chicken first because those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan are what give the sauce its deep savory character.
  • If the sauce tastes too acidic after simmering, add another tiny pinch of sugar and taste again before returning the chicken.
03 -
  • Let the skillet get fully hot before adding the chicken because a cold pan means steamed chicken instead of that gorgeous sear you want.
  • Use a lid that fits tightly on your skillet because the steam trapped inside is what gently finishes cooking the chicken without drying it out.

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