Easy Peasy Chicken Italiano is a delicious low carb less than 30 minute meal with a fresh tomatoes, basil and herbs.
Getting back to the basics is such a difficult thing when you live in Asia.
Many Asian recipes have a spice list a mile long and has lots of ingredients. I love cooking Asian food, but it is time to get back on the easy track by eating a few fresh and simple ingredients. It is time to let the food talk for itself, so to speak.
My mom always had a unique way of cooking with just a few quality ingredients. I think her Italian heritage and being forced to make do while living through the depression in the US, sparked her creative skills. She always had a special skill of making simple dishes taste wonderful. We always had extra unplanned guests. My mom would throw in some extra pasta or make an extra little side dish. It was like magic on how we always seem to have enough of everything to go around the table.
My mom turned 87 yesterday, bless her little heart! I thought of her all day in Hong Kong as it is so difficult being separated so far away from the people you love dearly. In celebration of Mom's birthday, I made one of her "go to easy meals" that she made often for us when I used to live at home.
I had forgotten all about this recipe until I was standing in front of the refrigerator hungry. I was mindlessly eating, by the handfuls, some freshly washed super sweet mini tomatoes from Malaysia.
Then there it was, like a lightbulb on top of my head, or maybe more like a childhood memory. I had an idea. The sweetness of the fresh cherry tomatoes is simple and pure. It reminded me of a dish we used to eat when I was living at home.
My mom used to make an easy peasy pan sautéed chicken with a fresh tomato, basil and wine sauce that would knock your socks off. Delicate sauce with fresh picked tomatoes (still warm from the sun) from Dad's garden and snipped basil she would grab from just outside the back door.
This is a vibrant dish that can be made in 15 minutes or less but tastes like it was made in a restaurant. Mom would serve this with a side of pasta, polenta or risotto and vegetables.
We also used to plant fresh garlic just outside the back door just outside our kitchen. A family of ducks also felt that this was the perfect location for her nest every year. Mama duck was quite defensive and would chase you away and cause all kinds of raucous if she thought you were going to hurt her little ducklings. You had to be quick and strategic, if it was your job to pick the garlic and basil.
Why you are going to love Easy Peasy Chicken Italiano
I really love this dish because of its simplicity. It has only seven little ingredients and some seasonings. Many of these things you already have at home. This is one of those kinds of dishes that gets lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" with no time spent in the kitchen, so another great little dish for company. I also think this sauce would be fabulous on top of sautéed or grill fish or really anything your little heart desires.
More Easy Low Carb Chicken Recipes
Stove Top Chicken Bacon Casserole
Creamy Chipotle Chicken Skillet
Tomatillo Key Lime Chicken Sizzle
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Easy Peasy Chicken Italiano
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 oz chicken breasts boneless skinless that are cut in half lengthwise so it cooks faster
- ¼ cup onion peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup white wine (whatever your drinking and/or replace with some chicken broth or water to deglaze your pan)
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar or sugar alternative
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place olive oil in pan, season chicken with salt and pepper on each side, heat up pan and add chicken to the pan. Cook on medium heat gently on both sides for about 3 minutes on each side or until juices run clear or no longer pink. (My mom used to lightly salt and pepper and flour her chicken before adding it to the pan, but due to my gluten allergies I left this step out)
- Take chicken out of the frying pan and set aside and keep warm. Add onions and garlic and fry until translucent.
- Add wine (and/or chicken broth) to deglaze pan. Cook until ½ evaporated. Add tomatoes, sugar or sugar subsitute, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Add chicken back to pan. Turn off burner and add fresh basil.
- Drizzle your easy peasy chicken Italiano with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil to garnish and serve along side some delicious roasted vegetables, salad , risotto, polenta or pasta.
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I love easy chicken recipes and this looks delicious Bobbi! Happy 87th Birthday to your Mom! Don't you just love recipes from your childhood? Brings back comfort and good memories. Great post!
GourmetGetaways says
What a beautiful story! Your wonderful
Mum obviously has a warm heart to nurture so many with her food.
All the ingredients you mentioned I have growing in my garden! I love Italian food for that reason, it is the food from the garden, I can't wait to try your dish 🙂
Raymund says
That looks like a perfect dinner, Yummy!
Mich Piece of Cake says
This chicken dish with tomatoes and basil look amazing!
ashley says
Sometimes I like the complex flavors and ingredients of Asian dishes, but I agree that sometimes it's nice to get back to the basics!! Looks delicious!!
Choc Chip Uru says
Such fresh and delicious ingredients 🙂
Your must love this so much!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Carolyn Chan says
Looks delicious Bam ! Happy birthday to your mum !
Eha says
Your plate looked so appetizing way before I got to the recipe! Happy birthday to your Mom and I promptly thought of Chgo John and his Zia and their recipes too: I see he has already commented 🙂 ! As I also automatically turn to all my beloved Asian recipes these days when creating my menus, it truly is time to go back to simple and fabulously tasty of the days of yore 🙂 ! Methinks a large part of the taste and goodness then and now came from the fact that the chicken was organic, the tomatoes and basil probably homegrown and the dish put togther with love and understanding: shall make for sure 🙂 ! Real food!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Eha, I hope you are having a splendid week. I will pass on your birthday wishes to my mum, thanks. I was thinking of John and Zia when I posted this recipe too. It is so fun to see how similar our families backgrounds are, it really is a small world. I am so delighted that our love for food can bring us all together. Happy cooking! Take care, BAM
Korena in the Kitchen says
Another wonderful recipe Bam! This looks excellent and I enjoyed reading about the memories that came along with this dish 🙂
Preety says
your pics looks so tempting..
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
I love everything italian, and the food first of all. I grew up eating it, and it still has a flavor that you don´t find anywhere else. I can only imagine this dish with sweet tomatoes and your own basil! Your own garlic plant, that´s awesome, ducks and all.
Bluejellybeans says
It looks delicious! So juicy... 🙂
nancyc says
That looks like a great recipe! That's great that your mom celebrated her 87th birthday! Hope you get to see her soon!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Nancy. I also hope that I can see my parents soon. It is so very difficult living so far away from the one's you love. Take care, BAM
ChgoJohn says
Buona Sera, BAM! Your Mom, Zia, and my Mom were of the same generation and the Great Depression really affected them. To this day, Zia uses remarkably few spices when cooking, though baking is another matter. This dish is certainly something that would easily fit into the Bartolini playbook and your photos could not be more appealing. Of course, serving it with either polenta or pasta on the side would complete the meal for me. I would be one very happy diner. Have a great week, BAM!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Buona Sera John, It is amazing how similar our backgrounds are and also have family with similar experiences. I am so glad our love for food has brought our families together via the internet. It really is a small world. Are you recovering from your food coma after your visit with Zia? I am glad to hear you had a lovely visit. Take Care, BAM
Conor Bofin says
Very nice BAM. Lovely colours.