Ingredients:
Serves 4
— 3 Tablespoons olive oil
— 1 medium brown onion, peeled and chopped
— 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
— 1/2 teaspoon salt
— 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
— (2) 14-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
— 1 teaspoon dried oregano
— 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
— 1 heaped Tablespoon tomato puree or paste
— 3 Tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
— 4 large boneless chicken breasts
— 1 1/4 packed cups strong cheddar cheese
— 1 cup shredded mozzarella
— 10-12 pepperoni slices
— small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and fry for a further minute. Add the cans of chopped tomatoes, oregano, sugar and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often until reduced by half. Turn off the heat. Leave to cool for five minutes, then stir in the cream cheese.
2. Meanwhile, slice the chicken breasts in half width-ways (so you have eight thin chicken “steaks”). Place in a large baking dish in a single layer, then drizzle on the remaining oil and and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Take the chicken out of the oven. Spread the sauce all over the chicken with a spoon. Sprinkle on the cheddar and mozzarella cheese, then arrange the pepperoni on top. Place back in the oven for another 15-18 minutes until the cheese is lightly golden and melted and the whole dish is bubbling. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Serve with a green salad and some garlic bread if you’d like. Let’s take a closer look at that perfectly cooked pepperoni…