Chicken breast in tomato sauce with mozzarella and basil

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large tomato(s)
• 680 g chopped tomatoes with basil, e.g. Cirio’s “Passata Rustica with Basil”
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 250g mozzarella
• ½ cup cream, approx. 100 ml
• 3 stalks of basil
• ½ tsp chicken broth
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• salt and pepper
• Paprika powder, sweet
• olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

Italian, quick and easy

Peel the onion and garlic and dice both into small cubes. Then slice the tomato lengthwise into thin slices, so that there are two slices per chicken breast. Take the mozzarella and slice it as well, about 4-5 slices per chicken. Pluck the basil from the stem. Fry the onions in olive oil until translucent. Then add the tomato paste and fry it briefly. Deglaze the pan with the passata, rinse the bottle again with a little water, and add the water to the sauce. Then add the maple syrup, salt, pepper, paprika, and chicken broth. Finally, add the cream and 2-3 torn basil leaves. Bring the sauce to a boil briefly and then transfer it to a baking dish. Fry the chicken breasts in olive oil for 2-4 minutes per side, depending on their size, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken breasts in the tomato sauce. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the tomato slices on top of the chicken breasts, followed by 2-3 basil leaves per breast. Season with salt and pepper before finally adding the mozzarella slices. Place the dish in the oven for 15 minutes. If you want some crispy cheese, grill for another 5 minutes. Serve the chicken breasts with rice or couscous, or enjoy as is. Enjoy!