Chicken Breast in Tomato Sauce

Chicken Breast in Tomato Sauce © kvalifood.com

Chicken breasts placed in a baking dish, covered with a fresh tomato sauce with bell pepper, garlic and basil, and baked in the oven until the meat is cooked through and juicy. It’s one of the quickest and simplest oven dishes — almost no preparation, and the oven does the rest.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless
  • salt
  • pepper

Tomato sauce

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • ½ bell pepper, cut into small dice
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400 g)
  • 4–5 fresh basil leaves (or ¼ tsp dried)
  • salt
  • pepper

To serve

  • rice (or pasta)
  • green salad

Directions

Prepare

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the chicken breasts in a greased baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the tomato sauce

Finely chop the onion, bell pepper, garlic and basil. Mix with the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the sauce evenly over the chicken breasts.

Bake

Put the dish in the middle of the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Large breasts may need an extra 5–10 minutes.

Serving

Serve the chicken breasts with the tomato sauce from the dish. Goes well with rice, pasta or just a piece of bread and a green salad.

Notes

  • The chicken breasts can be pounded a little flatter with the heel of your hand before placing them in the dish — this gives more even cooking.
  • Fresh basil gives the best result, but dried works too. Add fresh basil after baking for more aroma.
  • Add olives, capers or mozzarella on top for a more Italian character.
  • The dish can also be made as breaded chicken schnitzel: boneless, skinless chicken breast breaded and fried like a Wiener schnitzel, 4–5 minutes on each side.
  • Freezes well for up to 3 months.