We were inspired by the popular Hasselback potatoes to turn very ordinary chicken breasts into a festive dish: today we prepare Hasselback Chicken with Tomato and Mozzarella in a Spicy Tomato Sauce. Or in other words, chicken breasts stuffed with the most intense flavors of Italy. Delicious.
Preparing it only requires a moment of care — you’ll see what a handy recipe this is! And if the chicken with vegetables is delicious, that bed of spicy tomato sauce gives intensity to every bite, keeping the chicken succulent and tender throughout cooking.
We bake it in the oven, and for that we use one of Le Creuset’s most versatile trays, the
Ingredients
For the spicy tomato sauce
- 1400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp mixed herbs
- 2 tsp chili paste
- 2 tsp garlic purée
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp caramelized onion chutney
- 75 g cherry tomatoes, halved
For the chicken
- 4 skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ball of mozzarella
- 8 pieces of sun-dried tomato
- 2 tbsp green pesto
- Freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Fresh basil leaves
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C
- First prepare the base of the tomato sauce. Put all the sauce ingredients in the Ovenware roasting tray from Le Creuset and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To prepare the Hasselback chicken, place the breasts on a cutting board and, careful not to cut all the way through, make four even slits in each breast.
- Cut the mozzarella into 16 equal pieces and slice the sun-dried tomatoes in half lengthwise.
- With a small spoon, put a little pesto into each chicken slit before adding a piece of mozzarella and sun-dried tomato. Repeat until all the slits are filled. Transfer the chicken to the roasting tray and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Just before serving, place a basil leaf in each slit.
Cooking notes
- The perfect accompaniment for this dish is a fresh salad with basil. Dress with olive oil and a little lemon, and finish with toasted pine nuts.
