Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola). This dish hosts great flavors, with the most amazingly tender chicken fillets, a rich tomato sauce and creamy melted mozzarella. To whomever we have served this, it has become a favorite, and a popular go-to for us, too.
Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola)
If one were to look at just the title, you would think pizza-style chicken, what's so special about that. However, simple it may be, but delicious it definitely is, with its unmistakable richness. There are a few techniques to take this recipe to an elevated status, and that is why I am so excited to share them with you. Let's get started and learn how to make Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola)!
Ingredients:
This is a pretty simple recipe, and with only a few ingredients. Here they are:
- Chicken breast. If you want to use thighs, boneless works best.
- Type "00" flour
- Canned tomatoes
- Basil
- Mozzarella cheese
- Evo oil
- Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika
How to make Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola)
The steps for this Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola) are very simple. However, the step of filleting the chicken breast could be a bit more difficult. If you feel uncomfortable, you can have your butcher do this for you. Now, here we go, let's do this recipe!
Firstly, time to get the sauce going. Simply drizzle some evo oil in a sauce pan. Throw in garlic, and chili flakes. Turn on heat and when garlic starts to sizzle, add crushed tomatoes and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper, stir, cover and turn heat to low. Let that simmer.
Then, pat dry your chicken breast and, with a sharp fillet knife, cut along the length of the breast, slicing at a thickness of ⅛ inch. Continue doing this until both your breasts are filleted.
Wrap your fillet in plastic wrap and with a meat cleaver pound it out, lightly working from the center out until nice and flat. Do this with all the other fillets.
Next, put all your seasoning and spices into a ramekin and mix it up until well incorporated. Season your fillets lightly on both sides.
Now it is time to season the flour for dredging with the same seasoning mix you used for the chicken fillets.
Whisk the mixture and place the chicken fillet in and coat all sides with the flour. Shake off any excess flour and place dredged fillets on a parchment lined baking sheet
Do the same with all the other fillets.
Pour evo oil into a medium saute pan. Turn on heat to a medium to high setting. Place the dredged chicken in the pan and cook for 1 minute then turn over.
Place golden chicken fillets into an oven-safe baking dish.
Finally, spread some of your tomato sauce over the fillets.
Next, place the slices of mozzarella on top of each chicken fillet. Drizzle with some evo oil.
Place on middle rack of a pre-heated 375 F oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
Pollo alla Pizzaiola is ready to serve!
This Pollo alla Pizzaiola is going to make your mouth water from the aroma to the texture and flavor.
Take a look at those bright colors and all that luxury it holds. I have to lean in and have a bite. Yum, the chicken has this creaminess on the surface and then that leads you into some juicy tender inside. However, that tomato sauce is such a loving touch with all that stringy mozzarella, that has my mouth just wanting another bite. This is absolutely fantastic!
What to serve with Pollo alla Pizzaiola
We like to serve Chicken Pizzaiola with a side of roasted potatoes or sauteed greens like chicory or kale. Also lovely, especially in the summer, is a fresh and bright side salad. And don't forget some crusty bread to mop up all that delicious sauce.
In this day and age with life being busy and expensive, it is nice to have a dish you can count on to deliver flavor, aroma, substance all on an easy to take budget. This Pollo alla Pizzaiola fits all those bills and I am sure it will become a favorite for your family and friends, too.
I made it for a work luncheon, and to say the least, there was not even a smidge of sauce left in the dish. I can honestly say it was well received.
Thank you for joining me today and sharing time in the kitchen with me. Until next time, ciao for now!
PrintItalian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola)
Italian Classic Pollo alla Pizzaiola (Chicken Pizzaiola), this dish host incredible rich flavors, with a most amazingly tender fillet of chicken. To whomever we have served this too has become a favorite, and a popular go-to for us too.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 people 1x
- Category: main
- Method: stovetop/oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- ¾ cups type "00" flour
- ½ tsp each, Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika
- Evo oil for frying (4-5 Tbsp)
Sauce:
- 1 small can tomato pulp or crushed tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 2 Tbsp evo oil
- salt and pepper
- a few leaves of basil
Baking touches:
- 200 g fresh mozzarella cut into slices.
- Drizzle of evo oil.
Instructions
Sauce:
- In a medium sauce pan drizzle in evo oil and toss in garlic and chili flakes.
- Turn heat to a medium, when garlic starts to sizzle pour in crushed tomatoes.
- Seasson with salt and pepper, add in fresh basil leaves. Stir, cover and turn down heat to low. let that simmer for 20 minutes stirring occassionally.
Chicken:
- Take your chicken breast and pat dry with some paper towel. With a good fillet knife slice the breast into about ⅛ " thick fillets and set on a baking sheet, or cuting board. Do the same with the other breast.
- Take all your seasonings and place in a ramekin. stir well.
- Now it is time to pound out the chicken fillets. Do this by placing the fillet in plastic wrap top and bottom and using the flat side of the clever pound fillet starting from the center and working your way out to the edges. Do this gently as to not break up the chicken.
- Take the fillets and place back on the baking sheet. Season lightly both sides of the chicken.
- In a bowl place the flour and sprinkle in some of the seasoning mix. Whisk.
- Take your pounded out fillets and dredge both sides with the flour mixture. Shake and place on a clean sheet or dish. Do this for all of the fillets.
Frying:
- Pour evo oil in a frying pan. Turn heat to a medium to high setting. When oil is hot place enough chicken fillets to fill the pan. Fry for about 1 minute, then turn over and fry for another minute. Place in an oven safe large baking dish. Do this until all fillets are fried.
Baking:
- Pre-heat oven to 375 F.
- Take your tomatoe sauce and spoon some over chicken fillets. Enough to pool on top but not totall cover the chicken.
- Place the slices of mozzarella ontop of each chicken fillet. Drizzle a bit of evo oil throughout.
- Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake until cheese is melted and gooey, with a bit of golden on the surface..
- Take out of oven and serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use boneless chicken thighs too. remember they are smaller so may need more to feed your group. Also because of their thickness you may only get 2 fillets per thigh.
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Comments
No Comments