As soon as this baked chicken pizzaiola comes out of the oven, the tomato sauce is still bubbling around the edges and mozzarella stretches from the baking dish to your plate.
Underneath are tender strips of chicken in a rich sauce with red wine, oregano, and garlic. It takes a little longer than a skillet dinner, but the simmering gives the sauce its rich tomato and red wine flavor. The wine reduces, the passata thickens, and all the flavors come together in the oven.
The taste-test panel was clear. My husband said, "This sauce is really good. You have to try it!" Sometimes that is all the review form needs.
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Why make this?
This Italian baked chicken has a rich tomato sauce that is perfect for spooning over the chicken. That is exactly what you want when serving it with pasta, bread, or roasted potatoes. The mozzarella melts softly over the chicken, while Parmesan adds extra flavor to the top.
You can prepare the tomato sauce up to 1 day ahead. Reheat it gently, then brown the chicken and assemble the dish just before baking.
What You Need for Chicken Pizzaiola
- Boneless skinless chicken breast: cut into evenly sized strips so they cook at the same rate.
- All-purpose flour: gives the chicken a light coating and helps thicken the sauce.
- Salt and ground black pepper: season the flour. Taste the sauce later and add more if needed.
- Olive oil: use it to brown the chicken and build the sauce. A neutral cooking oil also works.
- Red onion: softens and turns slightly sweet in the sauce. A yellow onion is a good substitute.
- Garlic: brings the classic pizzaiola flavor. Fresh garlic gives the best flavor here.
- Tomato paste: cook it briefly before adding liquid. This deepens the tomato flavor and softens its sharper edge.
- Red wine: adds depth to the sauce. To make it without wine, use chicken broth and add a small splash of balsamic vinegar if you like.
- Tomato passata (strained tomatoes): creates a smooth tomato sauce.
- Dried oregano: gives the sauce its familiar Italian flavor. Fresh oregano also works.
- Sugar: softens the sharper edge of the tomatoes. If your passata already tastes mild, you can leave it out.
- Fresh mozzarella: drain well and slice thinly.
- Finely grated Parmesan: gives the topping a savory finish. Pecorino Romano can be used for a saltier, sharper result. I like using both cheeses here; mozzarella melts softly, while Parmesan brings more flavor.
- Fresh basil: add it after baking so the leaves stay fresh and green. Flat-leaf parsley also works, though the flavor will be different.
How to Make Baked Chicken Pizzaiola in 4 Steps
- Step 1: Cut the chicken crosswise into even ¾-inch-wide strips, pat it dry, and coat it lightly with the seasoned flour. Briefly brown the chicken in two batches. The center does not need to be cooked through yet.
- Step 2: Make the sauce in the same skillet. Fry onion, garlic and add some red wine. Cook for a bit.
- Step 3: Add passata, sugar and spices, simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Step 4: Add the chicken and sauce to the baking dish, top with both cheeses, and bake until bubbling and cooked through.
Top Tips
- Let the red wine reduce to roughly half its original volume before adding the passata. This gives the sauce a fuller flavor.
- Simmer the tomato sauce uncovered so extra moisture can escape. The sauce is thick enough when it no longer runs from a spoon like tomato juice.
- Drain the fresh mozzarella for 10 minutes. Pat it dry with paper towels before slicing so it does not add too much moisture to the sauce.
Delicious with
Serve baked chicken pizzaiola with spaghetti, penne, or tagliatelle.
- Tomato focaccia is ideal for scooping up the sauce.
- Oven baked potatoes with Italian herbs or a simple salad also work well alongside this Italian baked chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does pizzaiola mean? "Alla pizzaiola" means pizza-style. It usually refers to meat cooked with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
- What is the difference between chicken pizzaiola and chicken Parmesan? Chicken Parmesan usually has a full breadcrumb coating. This baked chicken pizzaiola uses only a light dusting of flour, so the tomato, garlic, oregano, and mozzarella remain the main flavors.
- Can I replace the red wine? Replace it with ½ cup chicken broth and add 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
This recipe for chicken Pizzaiola gives you tender chicken which delicious simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce with melted cheese.
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- olive oil, for the baking dish
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or squeezed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups passata, or strained tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 5 ounces mozzarella, drained, patted dry, and thinly sliced
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- fresh basil, for garnish
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.olive oil
- Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into strips about ¾ inch wide. Keep the pieces similar in size so they cook at the same rate. If the breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally into two thinner pieces first. Pat the chicken dry.2 pounds chicken breast
- Mix the flour, salt, and pepper, then lightly coat the chicken and shake off the excess.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Brown the chicken in two batches for about 1 minute per side. Transfer it to a plate; it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Lower the heat slightly. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook the red onion for 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.1 tablespoons olive oil, ½ red onion
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until reduced by about half.½ cup red wine
- Add the passata, oregano, and sugar. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. When you drag a spatula across the pan, the sauce should briefly leave a visible trail.2 cups passata, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper.Salt and black pepper
- Arrange the browned chicken in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the chicken.
- Lay the drained mozzarella slices over the chicken and sprinkle with Parmesan.5 ounces mozzarella, 1 ounce Parmesan cheese
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles, the cheese melts, and the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165°F.
- Let the baking dish rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and clings to the chicken.
- Garnish with fresh basil just before serving.fresh basil
Notes
1. Can I assemble the baking dish ahead of time? You can prepare the tomato sauce up to 1 day ahead. Let it cool, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat the sauce until gently simmering before using it. Brown the chicken and assemble the baking dish just before it goes into the oven.
2. Can I leave out the red wine? Yes. Replace it with ½ cup. Add 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
3. Storage
- Refrigerator: Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container within 2 hours. Use within 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until the center reaches 165 °F. The mozzarella may have a slightly softer texture after freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 601kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 62gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 178mgSodium: 964mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1091IUVitamin C: 19mgIron: 4mg
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