Chicken Breast with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Petto di pollo – Pan-fried chicken breast with tomato and olive sauce
An authentic Italian recipe for crispy pan-fried chicken breast (“Petto di pollo”) in a flavorful tomato and olive sauce. Deglazed with red wine and enhanced with herbs, this tomato sauce tastes just like it does at your favorite Italian restaurant. Best of all: This delicious dish is ready in just 30 minutes. Molto facile!
Ingredients
4 chicken breast fillets (150–200 g each)
1 onion
1 can ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes with herbs (425 ml)
1 handful of fresh oregano
3–4 tbsp green olives (pitted)
about 100 ml red wine (for deglazing)
Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Aluminum foil for wrapping
Step 1 : The Preparation
First, wash and dry the chicken breast fillets. Then peel the onion, dice it finely, and chop the oregano. Fresh herbs are a must for any Italian dish!
Step 2 : The Chicken Breast
Heat some olive oil in a sturdy cast-iron skillet and fry the chicken breast fillets until crispy: cook in batches over medium heat, turning them several times. This will take about 6–8 minutes. About 1 minute before removing them from the pan, season both sides with salt and pepper. After frying, wrap the chicken breast fillets in aluminum foil. They can rest in the foil, where they’ll stay warm and continue to cook slightly.
Tip
YOUNG POULTRY
Be sure to ask specifically for young poultry when you buy your chicken breast (Italian: “Petto di pollo”) at the butcher’s. It tastes especially good in this dish.
Step 3 : The Tomato Sauce
Add the diced onion to the still-hot cooking fat to sauté, then deglaze with the red wine. Once the sizzling stops, that’s the best time to add the chopped tomatoes and herbs. Now you can stir a bit and mix in the olives and oregano. Then, just let your tomato sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
Tip
TOMATO PASTE WITH A SUBTLE SPICY KICK
If you like it a little spicier, you can sauté 1–2 tablespoons of spicy tomato paste along with the onion in the cooking fat.
Step 4 : The Finale
Arrange your tomato sauce on plates and place the pan-seared chicken breast fillets on top. By the way, for even more flavor, you can pour the pan drippings from the aluminum foil directly into the tomato sauce.
Buon appetito!
