Hasselback chicken with spicy tomato and mozzarella

We are inspired by the popular Hasselback potatoes to turn some of the most common breasts into a most festive dish: today we prepare Hasselback Chicken with tomato and mozzarella with spicy tomato sauce . Or what is the same, some chicken breasts stuffed with the most intense flavors of Italy. delicious.

Preparing it requires only a moment of affection, you'll see what a popular recipe! And if the chicken with vegetables is delicious, each bite is given intensity by that bed of spicy tomato sauce, which keeps the chicken succulent and tender throughout the preparation.

We cook it in the oven, and for this we use one of the most versatile trays from Le Creuset, the collection

Ingredients

For the spicy tomato sauce

• 1400 g canned diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp herb mix
• 2 cc chili paste
• 2 cc of garlic puree
• 1 cc sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp caramelized onion chutney
• 75g cherry tomatoes, halved

for the chicken

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• 8 pieces of dried tomato
• 2 tablespoons green pesto
• freshly ground black pepper

To accompany

• fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. First prepare the base of the tomato sauce. Place all the sauce ingredients in the Le Creuset Ovenware cookie sheet and stir well to combine. Season to taste.
3. To prepare the Hasselback chicken, place the breasts on a cutting board and, being careful not to go all the way through, make four equal slits in each breast.
4. Cut the mozzarella into 16 equal parts and cut the sundried tomatoes in half lengthwise.
5. With a small spoon, spoon a little pesto into each slice of the chicken before adding a piece of mozzarella and dried tomato. Repeat until all the slits are filled. Transfer the chicken to the roasting tray and season with freshly ground black pepper.
6. Grill for 25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Just before serving, put a basil leaf in each of the slits.

cooking notes

• The perfect accompaniment to this dish is a fresh salad with basil. Dress with olive oil and a little lemon, and give it a final touch with toasted pine nuts.