Chicken in garlic tomato sauce is a fun recipe to cook because the hands-on time is pretty short, and you can walk away from the stove to tend to other things for the 25 minutes it takes to cook.
As with most things in the kitchen, chicken wisdom isn’t innate. It comes via trial and plenty of errors. And through experience I learned:
- Cutting the chicken off from the bone into small chunks and adding it to the sauce is a great way to make this recipe a versatile addition to a stew, sauce or casserole. Smaller chicken chunks also lends itself to more garlicy tomato sauce flavor in every bite.
- Slowly cooking the chicken is key. The difference between a slow simmer and a fast simmer means tender chicken vs. rubbery chicken.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, bone-in
2 15 ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp oregano 2
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Season both sides of breasts with salt and pepper. Bring oil to a sizzle over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. While chicken is cooking, mince the garlic. Add tomatoes, garlic, and spices to pan and turn down the heat to medium low. Bring liquid to a slow bubble and simmer 25 minutes. To test for doneness, take a knife and make a slit in the thickest part of the chicken. Juices should be clear and the chicken should not be pink inside. Serve dish alone, or over a cup of whole wheat pasta.
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