Mary’s fab fast feasts: Midweek chicken, mozzarella and tomato bake
Easy and quick but hearty, this chicken dish will become a firm family favourite. Sun-blushed or sun-soaked tomatoes – only partially dried and usually preserved in oil – have a delicious, concentrated flavour. You can find them in the supermarket in a jar or in a pack in the chiller cabinets.
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 25-30 MINUTES
400g (14oz) passata
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
75g (3oz) full-fat cream cheese
100g (4oz) ready-grated mozzarella cheese (see note)
leaves from 1 small bunch of basil, chopped
6 sun-blushed tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 small skinless and boneless chicken breasts (about 150g-175g/5oz-6oz each)
25g (1oz) Parmesan, grated
- You will need a wide-based, shallow ovenproof dish that is large enough to hold all four chicken breasts. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- Mix the passata with the Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper and pour into the base of the dish.
- Mix the cream cheese, mozzarella, basil and tomatoes in a small bowl and season.
- Cut a slit three-quarters of the way through each chicken breast to make a pocket. Divide the cheese mixture between the chicken breasts, pushing it into each pocket. Press any remaining mixture on top of the breasts and then season.
- Place the chicken in the dish on top of the passata mixture and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, with no traces of pink, and the tomato sauce is bubbling.
- Serve with a fresh green salad or steamed green beans.
COOK’S NOTES
- Using ready-grated mozzarella from a packet makes this dish extra quick! You could use a ball of buffalo mozzarella instead – you’ll just need to tear it into pieces.
PREPARE AHEAD
The dish can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead and kept, covered, in the fridge.
FREEZE
The stuffed chicken breasts can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost thoroughly, then bake in the tomato sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan, to serve.