Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 organic boneless
  • skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • about ⅓ palmful
  • About 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red field pepper or red bell pepper
  • finely chopped
  • 1 onion
  • finely chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • chopped or grated
  • 6 to 8 Italian hot pickled pepper rings in brine
  • not oil
  • drained and chopped (Rach's go-to is Cento)
  • 1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
  • about ⅓ palmful
  • 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
  • 3 to 4 ounces good-quality pepperoni
  • casing removed
  • and meat coarsely grated or thinly sliced (about a 3-4 inch piece)
  • About ¾ cup red vermouth or red wine
  • 1 ½ – 2 cups tomato passata or tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
  • chopped (small handful)
  • One 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella
  • sliced
  • Handful fresh basil leaves
  • torn
  • Italian bread with sesame seeds
  • for dipping

Instruction

  • Using a knife, remove the tenders (the small pieces of meat that are attached to the breast) from chicken breasts
  • Cut the tenders crosswise in half
  • Arrange the breasts between sheets of parchment
  • Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the meat to about ½ inch thick
  • Cut each breast crosswise into 3 pieces
  • Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and fennel seeds
  • Preheat the broiler
  • In a large cast iron skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons oil, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat
  • Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes
  • Turn the chicken over and cook until cooked through, an additional 2 to 5 minutes
  • Transfer chicken to a platter
  • Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, one turn of the pan, to the skillet
  • Add the field pepper and onion and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are slightly softened, about 2 minutes
  • Add the garlic, pickled peppers and oregano
  • Cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 1 minute
  • Add the sun-dried tomato paste and stir for a minute, stir in the pepperoni
  • Add the vermouth
  • Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick, 2 to 3 minutes
  • Stir in the passata and parsley, then slide the chicken back into the skillet
  • Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 more minutes
  • Top the chicken with the mozzarella
  • Broil until browned in spots, about 3 minutes
  • Top with basil
  • Serve from the pan with crusty bread for dipping