Tender chicken in a savory tomato sauce is topped with fresh basil & parmesan, Chicken in Pomodoro Sauce is the ultimate easy Italian dinner!
Don’t let those end-of-summer tomatoes go to waste! Chicken with Pomodoro Sauce is the best recipe to make the most of your garden veggies. Pan-seared chicken breasts soak up the mouthwatering flavors of the creamy Pomodoro sauce. Topped with basil and parmesan and served over pasta, every bite of this dish is so delicious you’ll make it again and again!
The Best Italian Pasta Sauce
I love Italian food and this sauce is no exception! Pomodoro Sauce is sweeter and milder than chunky marinara or meaty Bolognese. The key to making the best Pomodoro sauce is perfectly ripe tomatoes, boiled then simmered with olive oil, shallots, and seasonings until they meld into a creamy, smooth sauce.
This pasta dinner is impressively beautiful yet so easy to make and ranks right up there with stromboli as one of my favorite Italian meals!
Other Recipes to Serve with Recipe Title
- Serve chicken pomodoro with super simple grilled summer veggies for a light, healthy family dinner!
- Follow this dinner recipe with an Italian Tiramisu that will knock your socks off!
Ingredients
Chicken: Chicken breast filets make this recipe quick and easy.
Veggies: Tomatoes! Italian Gold, Roma, and cherry – or whatever beautiful, ripe tomatoes your garden or farmer’s market has available!
Pasta: Spaghetti is our pasta for this meal, but other delicate pasta will also work well.
Seasonings: EVOO, salt & pepper, red wine vinegar, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, cloves, and one shallot will season your chicken and fill your sauce with tons of Italian flavor!
Garnish: Top Chicken Pomodoro with fresh, sliced basil and a generous grating of aged parmesan!
How to Make Pomodoro Sauce
STEP ONE: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook to al dente, about 10 minutes. When done, rinse under cold water and set aside.
STEP TWO: Coat a large skillet with oil and preheat on high heat. Mix the salt and pepper, oregano, and parsley together in a small bowl. Season the chicken breasts on both sides. Sear chicken in the skillet for 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. (You’ll finish cooking the chicken later.)
STEP THREE: Toss the cherry tomatoes in olive oil and salt. Then broil them on a baking sheet for 3 minutes. Add all the tomatoes, shallot, garlic cloves, and one tablespoon of olive oil to a food processor and lightly pulse to break apart the tomatoes.
STEP FOUR: Wipe out the skillet used for the chicken, add some olive oil, and return to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the tomato mixture to the skillet, vinegar, a pinch of salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 7 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Add the chicken to the sauce. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
STEP SIX: Serve over pasta, garnished with fresh basil and shredded parmesan. Bon appetit!
Tips for Success
- This recipe for Pomodoro sauce uses Roma, Italian Gold and cherry tomatoes, but you can mix and match any tomatoes – just make sure they are good and ripe!
- When searing the chicken, use an oil with a high smoke point and preheat the pan before tossing in the chicken. Also, cook the chicken sparingly. Two minutes per side in a hot skillet is just right – the chicken will continue to cook when returned to the sauce.
What is Pomodoro Sauce?
The word Pomodoro comes from “pomi d’oro” – an Italian reference to tomatoes. Pomodoro is a red sauce, but where marinara sauce is thick and chunky, pomodoro sauce is smooth and creamy. Perfect for pasta dishes.
Does it Matter What Kind of Pasta I Use?
Hmmm…yes and no. Where flavor is concerned, most noodles (as Americans call them) are similar in taste. But pasta styles make a difference in presentation and consumption. A smooth, light sauce like Pomodoro works best with a more delicate pasta like spaghetti or angel hair, while a thicker dish, like primavera, is best suited for something like rigatoni or penne.
Other Italian-Inspired Recipes:
- Italian Baked Penne Casserole
- Easy Eggplant Parmesan
- Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
- Slow-cooker Italian Chicken Dinner
- Italian Pesto Pasta Salad
- Bolognese Bruschetta
- Italian Ceci Bean Salad
- Baked Tortellini with Meatballs
- Parmesan Mushroom Risotto
- Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon pepper plus more as needed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half thin-cut breasts
- Canola oil (or other high smoke point oil)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes stems removed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 Italian Gold tomatoes rough chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes rough chopped
- 1 shallot peeled and root remove
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves chiffonade
- 2-4 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking, then set aside.
- Combine the salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with this mixture.
- Place a large skillet over high heat and coat the pan with canola oil. Once hot, sear the chicken for 2 minutes per side (the chicken will not be fully cooked). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and return the pan to the stovetop. Preheat your oven's broiler to high.
- Toss the cherry tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet. Broil for 3 minutes to blister.
- Add the blistered tomatoes, Italian gold tomato, Roma tomatoes, shallot, garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a food processor. Cover and pulse 4-5 times to lightly break apart the tomatoes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Add the tomato mixture to the pan along with the vinegar. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 7 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the sauce. Cover the skillet and cook for 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Plate the spaghetti, top with pomodoro sauce and chicken. Garnish with fresh shredded parmesan and basil. Serve warm.
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