Yield: 4 - 5 servings

Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni!

Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni!

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/2" thick (5 if they're small)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbl. butter
  • 2 Tbl. EVOO or canola oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 sweet red cubanelle pepper, diced into 1/2" pieces (1 cup)
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled plum tomatoes such as Hunt's, break up tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste (about 2 oz.)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. dried italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 whole dried red chile pepper (6" long), snipped into 1/4" pieces (with the dried seeds)
  • 8 oz. whole spicy pepperoni, sliced then cut into matchsticks
  • 1 (16 oz.) bag shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese blend such as Sargento's
  • dried parsley plus fresh, (optional garnish)

Instructions

  • In a large deep ovenproof frying pan (*I used a heavy-bottomed stainless steel one), heat butter and oil over medium-high heat, stir to mix. When hot, sear pounded chicken breasts (that have been seasoned to taste on each side with salt and pepper) until lightly browned on each side. *I did this in two batches as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove to a plate or baking dish, cover, set aside.
  • Remove pan from heat (do not drain oil and butter), add wine carefully, let steam subside and stir and scrape bottom of pan.
  • Return pan to heat and lower to medium. Toss in onion, peppers, oregano, italian seasoning and garlic powder. Sauté for 5 minutes adding pepperoni during last minute, stirring occasionally.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • Add all tomatoes, breaking up whole tomatoes with your hand as you add them, and rest of ingredients *except cheese and dried parsley. Stir well to mix, bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring as needed, occasionally, making sure there's no sticking on the bottom of the pan.
  • Nestle browned chicken breasts down into pan under the sauce making sure that they aren't overlapping.
  • Pop into fully heated 350ºF oven and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and turn up to low broil.
  • Top each piece of chicken with large handfuls of cheese using all of it. Sprinkle top with dried parsley, and pop back into oven and bake/broil until cheese has fully melted. Mine only took another 5 minutes. Watch carefully as all ovens behave differently.
  • Remove from oven and top with fresh parsley sprigs when serving if desired.

    • Notes

    I paired this dish with angel hair and thin spaghetti (what I had on hand) topped with extra sauce, and it was immensely enjoyed with bites of the chicken all twirled together with the yummy cheese!
    Serve with a tossed salad and one of my homemade dressings, and some toasted garlic bread for an incredibly romantic date night in dinner!