Skillet Chicken in Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce: Ready in an Hour!!

Chicken thighs cooked in a hearty tomato & red pepper sauce, all in one skillet, and ready in an hour. This makes a quick and delicious weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

Chicken thigh meat is one of my favorite cuts of meat to cook with. Even if you overcook them, they stay juicy and tender. And, if you’re life is anything like mines (super busy mom of 5 that works from home) you multitask even when you cook. Sometimes that means that some things are just gonna get cooked well-done. 😂 Did I mention the fact that they’re so much less expensive than chicken breast? It’s a WIN-WIN all around!

Can other cuts of chicken be used to make this recipe?

Yes, of course! Feel free to use your favorite cut of chicken or whatever you already have on hand. Here are some examples along with their approximate cooking times:

• boneless skinless chicken breast can be cut into strips (or use tenderloins). Takes 15-20 minutes to reach 165 °F on the stovetop and around 30 minutes in the oven. If you brown them, then finish them off in the sauce on the stovetop and you can place the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes to get a nice color on top. Add some feta cheese prior to broiling for more delicious flavor.
• Chicken drumsticks take the same amount of time to cook as the bone-in chicken thighs that are used in this recipe so, no changes will be needed if using them instead.
• boneless and skinless chicken thighs cook a little faster than the bone-in thighs. They will reach 165 °F about 10 minutes sooner but, they also stay juicy even when overcooked so, no worries when using this substitute!
• Bone-in breast takes about 40 minutes in the oven and 15 minutes on the stovetop. Overcooking it will dry it out a bit so, investing in a good meat thermometer is a great idea. Here’s a link to my favorite one.
• a whole chicken cut into portions will take the same amount of time as the bone-in thighs.

How to Make the Sauce:

I love this sauce because it comes together in a blender in 2 minutes! I used store-bought pasta sauce (tomato basil is my fave) as a quick and easy shortcut however you can make your own in 15 minutes and if you keep reading this post, you will see that recipe as well 😀

Here are the ingredients that  you will need to make this delicious sauce that can be used to make dozens of other recipes:

• 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
• 4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 pound of roasted red peppers (I always have a few jars in my pantry)
• crushed red pepper flakes or black pepper
• salt

That’s it! Feel free to season it with some dried oregano and basil and the sauce is ready once it is pureed. Use it anywhere that pasta sauce is called for to take your recipe to the next level. Roasted red peppers add a nice smoky, sweet, and slightly briny flavor. I just love them!

A Quick Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, grated
• 28 ounces canned tomatoes, pureed
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• salt and black pepper to taste
• a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon (or more) thinly sliced fresh basil

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Heat through for just a few seconds until warmed and then add the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cover with the lid. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens. About 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed and stir in the basil.

What to serve the Skillet Chicken & Tomato Peppers with:

This sauce is delicious and is can be served with some toasted bread to soak it all up but it also tastes wonderful with any of the following:

• mashed potatoes
• roasted veggies
• spaghetti, linguini, or your favorite pasta
• zoodles to keep it low-carb
• Cumin Rice Pilaf
• Mediterranean Pilaf
• Toasted bread and salad

I hope that you give this recipe a try and share it with loved ones. Let me know what you think in the comments section and also post your recipe requests down there as well! I’ll share my versions of your favorites with you as soon as I can. Kali Orexi and I’ll be back soon with a brand new delicious recipe. 

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Skillet Chicken in Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce: Ready in an Hour!!

Yield: 5-6

Chicken thighs cooked in a hearty tomato & red pepper sauce, all in one skillet, and ready in an hour. This makes a quick and delicious weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

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Ingredients

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• Salt and black pepper
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 oregano sprigs for garnish or 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Feta cheese for garnish
• 1 tablespoon capers
• ¼ teaspoon or less crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• For the Sauce:
• • 1 jar (25 ounces/709g) pasta sauce
• • 4-5 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
• • 1 (16 oz/454g) jar of roasted red peppers

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 °F 220 °C.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Brown the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes. Flip it over and brown 2-3 minutes. Do this in 2 batches as to not overcrowd the pan.
Add the sauce ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth or chunky if you prefer. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Add the sauce to the skillet along with the capers and crushed red pepper flakes.
Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F.
Garnish with oregano or finely chopped parsley and serve with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, bread, or a salad. Top with feta cheese and enjoy!

Notes

Chicken breast may be substituted for the thigh meat. However, breast cooks much faster so, as soon as it reaches an internal temperature of

165 °F, stop cooking it so that it stays juicy. A whole chicken that has been cut into pieces can also be used. If you prefer skinless chicken, feel free to use that instead as well.

Watch the Video Tutorial: