Braised Italian Chicken
This one-dish dinner is quick to prep using pantry staples, but still comes out bold, fresh, and flavorful. Perfect over pasta, rice, garlic bread, rolls, or anything else you can think of!
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless (6-8 thighs)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- black pepper freshly cracked
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- ¼ cup carrot shredded
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14.5-oz can tomatoes, diced not drained
- 1 14.5-oz can tomato sauce
- ½ - 1 cup heavy cream optional, for a creamy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar divided
- 2-3 tablespoons basil fresh, chopped
- Parmesan cheese fresh shaved or grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- To prepare chicken, rinse all pieces in cold water and use a pair of kitchen shears (or clean scissors) to snip off any remaining fat. Blot dry on paper towels. Season one side of chicken with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and several cracks of black pepper.
- Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and make sure it spreads across bottom of pot. Place chicken salt side down and cook for 2-3 minutes. While it’s cooking, sprinkle remaining ¼ teaspoon salt plus a few cracks black pepper on other side of chicken. Flip chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken and place on a plate.
- Add onions and carrots to pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add can of diced tomato (with all the juices), tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Stir ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add chicken and all accumulated juices from plate. Cover chicken with sauce and cover pot with lid.
- Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and remove lid.
- Use 2 forks to gently shred shred chicken into large chunks. Add remaining ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar and chopped basil. Stir in heavy cream if desired. Add additional kosher salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken to pot, and stir together to combine.
- Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables, or on french rolls or slider buns and garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Slow Cooker Instructions
Readers have reported good results from tossing everything in a slow cooker for 4 hours on low. Personally, I would use a pan to sear the chicken and sauté the veggies then add everything to the slow cooker for 4 hours. Finish with balsamic vinegar, and top with basil and parmesan for serving.Instant Pot Instructions
I would use the sauté function and follow the instructions through adding the sauce, then cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a natural release for 5-10 minutes, then a quick release if necessary. Finish with balsamic vinegar and basil and top with parmesan. If desired, remove the chicken from the sauce and use the sauté function again to reduce and thicken the sauce before serving.Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 270mg, Potassium: 273mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1581IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 333kcal
Cost: $8
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