POLLO ALLA PIZZAIOLA - CHICKEN IN TOMATO AND OREGANO SAUCE

Mains & EntréesItalianHigh Protein
Written By Chef Gabriel G.

⏲ Prep time ⏲ Cooking time Difficulty level Portions

15 min 30 min ★☆☆☆☆ 6

Ingredients

Chicken & aromatics

•             Chicken breasts or thighs, sliced or lightly flattened — 900 g

•             Olive oil — 40 g

•             Garlic, thinly sliced — 15 g

•             Onion, finely diced — 120 g

•             Fine salt — 10 g

•             Black pepper — 3 g

•             Dried oregano — 3 g

•             Fresh basil — 6 g (optional but excellent)

Tomato sauce

•             Passata — 600 g

•             Cherry tomatoes, halved — 200 g

•             White wine — 60 g (optional)

•             Capers, rinsed — 20 g

•             Black olives, pitted — 40 g

•             Sugar — 4 g (balances acidity)

•             Water or stock — 100 g (only if needed to loosen the sauce)

Cooking instructions

1. Sear the chicken

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper.

  • Heat olive oil in a wide pan.

  • Sear chicken 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden (it will finish cooking in the sauce).

  • Remove and set aside.

2. Build the pizzaiola base

  • In the same pan, add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft.

  • Add garlic and oregano; cook 1 minute.

  • Deglaze with white wine (if using) and reduce by half.

  •   Add passata, cherry tomatoes, sugar, olives, and capers.

  • Simmer 5 minutes.

3. Finish the dish

  •   Return chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce.

  • Simmer gently 10–12 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce thickens.

  • Adjust seasoning and stir in fresh basil.

Chef ’s Notes

•             Don’t over-reduce the sauce — pizzaiola should stay spoonable and glossy, not pasty.

•             Use good passata; the tomato quality makes a huge difference.

•             Add a pinch of chilli for a Calabrian-style kick.

•             Thighs stay juicier than breasts, especially if simmered a bit longer.

•             Serve with roasted potatoes, polenta, or simply crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

•             Next-day flavour is even better; the oregano blooms overnight.

Chef Gabriel G.

Chef Gabriel G. is a culinary professional with over 25 years of experience in professional kitchens, bringing deep expertise from restaurants, hotels, and culinary training environments. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself not only to cooking but also to sharing knowledge, developing menus, and mentoring the next generation of culinary professionals. His approach combines classical culinary foundations with modern techniques, focusing on precision, quality ingredients, and efficient kitchen practices.

Over the past two and a half decades, Chef Gabriel G. has worked in a variety of demanding culinary environments, including restaurants, hotel kitchens, and professional culinary operations. These experiences have given him a strong understanding of kitchen management, workflow optimization, and high-level food production.

He has been involved in menu creation and implementation, ensuring that dishes are not only flavorful but also operationally efficient and consistent in quality. His work has helped kitchens improve organization, maintain high standards, and deliver memorable dining experiences.

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