For such a simple dish, this is packed full of flavour. I've served it with roasted charlotte potatoes and a rocket salad, but it would go equally well with spaghetti or tagliatelle.
When I first made this dish, I cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, but found that the portion sizes were too small for my family. Instead, I have flattened the chicken breasts, so that the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.
Serves 4
For the tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small red onion
2 cloves of garlic
400g cherry tomatoes
150ml white wine
Seasoning
Handful of basil leaves
For the chicken
Chicken breasts (1 per person)
Olive oil
Seasoning
To make the sauce
- Peel the onion and garlic.
- Finely dice the onion.
- Heat the oil in a lidded sauté pan, over a low to medium heat.
- Once the oil is up to temperature add the onion and stir gently, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan, stir and then cover with a lid.
- 4-5 minutes after adding the tomatoes to the pan, remove the lid and press them down with the back of a wooden spoon. Return the lid.
- Repeat step 6 after another 4-5 minutes.
- After another couple of minutes, add the crushed garlic to the pan and stir for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Pour in the white wine and season well with salt and black pepper. Return the lid and leave to simmer for a few minutes.
- Tear in the basil leaves, stir and serve.
To make the chicken
- If the chicken breasts are large, cut the chicken fillet (tenderloin) from the chicken breasts and save for another dish.
- Lay the chicken breasts, one at a time, on a chopping board between two sheets of cling film.
- Beat each chicken breast with a rolling pin until they are approx 1.5 cm thick. The chicken breasts want to be flattened so they are an even thickness.
- Place the chicken in a Tupperware (or similar) and drizzle with olive oil. Season.
- Rub the oil and seasoning into the chicken breasts.
- Heat a griddle pan and once the pan is up to temperature, lay the chicken breasts onto the griddle and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.