Tomato Basil Chicken

Juicy chicken breast snuggled in a buttery, garlic, tomato and basil sauce. The best part? It takes just 30 minutes to make!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Shallow Dish (for dredging chicken)
Large Pan & Tongs
Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

Chicken

2x 9oz/250g Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp Plain/All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Parmesan (see notes)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp / 15g tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Tomato Basil Sauce

2 tbsp / 30g Unsalted Butter
3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
1/4 cup / 60ml Chicken Stock
14oz / 400g Baby Plum Tomatoes, halved
1 small bunch of Fresh Basil (typically ~1oz/30g)
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

Horizontally slice both chicken breasts right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. Finely dice around 3/4 of the basil, saving a handful of smaller leaves to serve.
In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, parmesan, salt and pepper. One by one, coat the cutlets in the flour mixture, give them a light shake, then place to one side.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp butter and oil. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the cutlets and fry both sides for a few minutes until golden and cooked through the centre, then place on a plate to one side.
Lower the pan heat to medium, then melt in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds or so (be careful it doesn't burn), then pour in the stock. Stir in the tomatoes alongside a pinch of salt, and simmer for around 2 minutes until you notice the tomatoes just starting to soften. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and diced basil and simmer for a further minute or so, giving everything a good stir until the sauce binds and thickens a little.
Stir in the resting juices from the chicken, then check for seasoning and adjust with salt and black pepper. Add the chicken and baste in the tomatoes until fully coated in the sauce (it will now thicken a little more due to the floured coating on the chicken).
Serve with extra basil and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chicken - the cutlets shouldn't take too long to cook through; keep in mind they'll carry on cooking slightly as they rest and when added back to the pan.

b) Parmesan - just 2 tbsp will help create a golden crust and add loads of flavour to the chicken. I highly recommend using the fresh dusty variety you get in packets in the refrigerated section; it will blend with the flour and distribute across the chicken more easily. If not, just freshly grate a block nice and finely.

c) Sauce consistency - it'll be watery at the start, but as the stock reduces and the tomatoes release their juices, you'll end up with a glossy, buttery sauce. Just make sure you give it a good stir to emulsify the fats in the sauce. If, for whatever reason, it gets too thick, you can thin it out with a splash more stock.

d) Calories - whole recipe divided 4.

Nutrition