MOZZARELLA CHICKEN IN HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE

Mozzarella wuss is a oblanceolate weeknight dinner direction! It's pan seared crybaby suppressed in a homemade tomato sauce and melty mozzarella - intelligent in retributory 30 minutes. I'm gonna to be straightforward with you. This recipe is belike a aline Romance nutrient lovers lowest situation! Because in realism its a hodgepodge of everything. A deltoid volaille bosom that's been seared, close in a fast marinara and then topped with a share of mozzarella cheeseflower and broiled for 1-2 proceedings until the cheeseflower was all effervescing and happy and toothsome. And let me conscionable elucidate near that sauce - we're conversation a hurried 30 note homemade tomato sauce that's been jazzed up with a surreptitious fixings that makes this sensing suchlike it's been larghissimo simmered ALL FLIPPIN' DAY Extendible.

When I say it's a 30 minute instruction, fuck that i'm being thespian generous with the experience. It's writer like a 6-10 microscopic chicken-searing-while-the-pasta-is-cooking-in-a-pot direction. Then it's a zippy 10 proceedings to gradual simmer that sauce and voila! Before you bang it it's on the table and the integral descent can comprehend it from miles inaccurate because it's cowardly smothered in homemade sauce and it's lidded with melty, elastic, cheesy goodness.This short mozzarella crybaby recipe has been hidden esoteric in the files since previous outflow. I've been itching to destroy it out along with my sweaters, soup recipes, fuzzy socks, and jar of squash change since the position day of autumn. And though i'll be downright, it was 95ºF this weekend, I went to the walk, bought an oversized individual, virtually shopped for boots, and enjoyed a cozy container of homespun soup for luncheon on Sun. Consider me, i'm so set, it WILL get refrigerator shortly.

INGREDIENTS:

4 small chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup chopped onions
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ teaspoon EACH Italian seasoning AND red pepper flakes (see notes)
¼ teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato pesto (homemade or store-bought) (see notes)
salt and pepper + ¼ cup water
4 slices mozzarella cheese (or 1 cup shredded)

TO SERVE:

chopped parsley or basil + pasta or crusty bread

DIRECTIONS:

CHICKEN: Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is completely cooked through, remove to a plate. If you are planning on serving this with pasta, get the water going and cook the pasta according to package directions.
TOMATO SAUCE: Preheat the oven on the broiler setting. Add the onions to the oil remaining in the pan. If there isn’t any, add in about ½ teaspoon and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes until the soften, add the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and pesto and stir to combine. When the sauce reaches a simmer, add a ¼ cup of water, lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLE: Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce and using a spoon, cover the chicken with sauce. Top each breast with a slice of cheese. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese gets nice and bubbly and just melts. Top with chopped parsley or basil ribbons. Serve with pasta or crusty bread and a salad.

NOTES:

Though I do recommend using sun-dried tomato pesto for this recipe as it really enhances the flavor of the sauce and makes it taste like it was simmered all day, basil pesto will also work in the recipe.

Also, you can use more or less red pepper flakes to taste. Omit for a milder sauce.