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
Hungry For More? Subscribe to our Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, You Tube, Instagram, and Pinterest for all the latest updates.
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.
[email protected] Chef in disguise says
Although I am one who is in love with recipes with a mile long spice list, recipes like this one are hard to resist. So simple, clean bright flavors, what's not to love!
My mum is exactly like your mum, she can turn a few simple ingredients magically into a dish you can't forget!
hotlyspiced says
Before you arrived at the point of your post where you mentioned your mother being Italian, I was already thinking that it's the Italians who know how to cook something amazing from so few ingredients and they are also the ones who manage to feed an army of people on a little shoestring. How sad that you weren't able to be with your wonderful mother on her birthday but this recipe is a lovely tribute to her. I have a lot of cherry tomatoes growing in my backyard so I will harvest them and make this xx
mehediawwal says
Looks tempting and loved the recipe!!! Happy Birthday to you mom 😀
Charlotte says
Hi Bam, great recipe and as you predicted I had everything at hand so I made it for friends tonight. I used plum tomatoes though because this is what I had, it worked well too. And using fresh basil really makes the difference. Everyone around the table loved the dish, and two people were visiting directly from Italy! Thank you for sharing this family recipe with us.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Charlotte, I am delighted to hear this simple little recipe worked well for your guests. Fresh ingredients do really make a big difference. Have a super weekend. Take Care, BAM
Purely.. Kay says
I LOVE a good chicken recipe.. and this is definitely easy and looks amazing! I hope your mom had such a wonderful birthday!
Carine says
It also looks very good. I love these colors!
dedy oktavianus pardede says
Beautyfull dinner dish....
i think i'm gonna use my sun dried cherry tomato this way...
God blessed your Mother Bams
Tandy says
Birthday blessings for your mom!
Kristy says
I love this one BAM! The wine sauce sounds perfect with the dish. This will make a perfect weeknight meal this summer. Happy birthday to your mom!
foodfashionandflow (@FoodfashinFlow) says
This looks so delicious and healthy. Perfect to add to my clean eating recipes. Can't wait to try it!
yummychunklet says
Easy peasy and so healthy looking, too!
dianeskitchentable says
This looks beautiful, those cherry tomatoes and the way you've presented it does make it look like a meal you spent all day working on. Your childhood memories bring back some of my own. My mother just always had a good healthy meal on the table every night - always a salad, meat, vegetables, and dessert...and she never used a recipe. Nothing went to waste although those meals with all the leftovers combined could get, umm...interesting. I guess growing up during the depression on a farm in upstate Maine with 8 brothers and sisters makes you a natural in the kitchen.
nusrat2010 says
Those cute, little red, hot Cherri tomatoes, succulent moist chicken, gorgeous photos and a touchy story-telling skill made this post of your is a really really special one. Thank God I bumped into your blog. And you've got one more follower 🙂 Love.
bitsandbreadcrumbs says
Just lovely, Bam. And my favorite combo of flavors...tomatoes and basil, add some wine and it equals awesome! I find myself leaning towards simpler dishes these days. Happy Birthday to your mom! Mine will be 86 in August. We're lucky to have them for continued inspiration, yes? Have a great day!~Betsy
Lail | With A Spin says
I have a similar recipe but instead of pan frying I bake. Quick recipes are always a winner, aren't they? Your chicken looks very delectable.