Sunday Supper: Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce

Ready for another Sunday Supper??
I am.

This series of Sunday Supper recipes is designed to bring your friends and family together for good food and good times.  There's nothing better than gathering around a table to good food, making great memories.  These recipes are easy to prepare and taste wonderful.  Hearty, fulfilling dishes.

This week we are going to explore the cooking technique of "braising".  Braising is a method of using dry and wet heat to slowly cook a cut of meat.  The meat simmers in a liquid and cooked until tender, low and slow.  The meat is typically seared first then simmered in a liquid in a covered pot.  Braising can be accomplished in the oven or on the stove top.  

In this week's recipe braises on the stove top.  This really is a simple way to cook dinner.  Not much hands on, you let the stove do all the work!  Also, I'm so excited to use my new braising pan.  See how gorgeous it is?  It's enameled cast iron, red, and performed wonderfully.

So, this weeks dish is Italian in nature.  A spin of sorts.  Let's make Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce!

First, you need some bone-in, chicken breasts.  You will need to remove the skin as seen here.  Salt and pepper your breasts in preparation of searing them.

For braising you should use a deep enough pan to hold the liquid so that the meat is partially covered by it and it will simmer well.  A dutch oven or a braising pan is perfect for this.  Heat the pan over medium high heat adding the oil to the pan to heat as well.

Add the chicken and sear on each side for about 3-4 minutes per side.  You want the meat to quickly brown.  Remove the chicken from the pan when complete.

Next, make the sauce in the same braising pan.  Add some fire roasted tomatoes, juice and all ( I used the kind with garlic in it), some tomato paste, chopped olives, and some red pepper flakes.  If you don't want this too hot, watch these flakes.  

Stir it all together and bring the sauce to a boil.

Turn your heat down now to medium-low.  Let the sauce cook for a minute or to to blend the flavors.

Add your chicken back to your pan. 

Place a lid on your pan and allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for about 30-35 minutes until done.

Meanwhile cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.  I used a rotini (corkscrew pasta) so it would catch all the chunkiness of the sauce.

To plate, place the pasta on the dish first and top with a chicken breast, spooning the sauce over the top.  Great with garlic bread and a salad!  

Great flavors with a kick!  See all the chunkiness?

Make some memories...have a Sunday Supper!

Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce

Sauce Adapted by Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz corkscrew pasta - rotini
4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Remove skin and excess fat from chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large braising pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken to pan, and cook, turning occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until browned. Remove chicken from pan.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, and crushed red pepper to pan, stirring to combine.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until done. Serve with cooked pasta.