The Step-by-Step Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. It won't be cooked through yet—we just want flavor. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2- Build the Quick Sauce Base
Turn the heat down to medium. Drop the sliced mushrooms and garlic directly into the remaining chicken fat in the pan. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms just begin to soften. Pour in the white wine (or chicken stock), using a wooden spoon to scrape up all those flavorful, browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour the canned diced tomatoes (and all their liquid) into the skillet with the mushrooms. Stir to combine and let it come to a brief simmer. Nestle the seared chicken back into the pan, spooning some of the tomato and mushroom mixture right over the top of the pieces so they stay moist.
Cover the skillet with a lid or a tight layer of aluminum foil and slide it into the preheated oven. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid/foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the top of the chicken to catch a little color and lets the rustic tomato sauce thicken up beautifully.
How to Serve It
This dish produces a gorgeous, savory broth that begs to be soaked up. To keep the rustic, comforting vibe alive, ladle the hot chicken and chunky tomato-mushroom sauce over a bed of buttery garlic mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or a simple scoop of white rice.
If you happen to have a loaf of crusty French bread on hand, warm it up in the oven during the last few minutes of the bake—it makes the perfect vessel for scraping the bottom of the baker clean.
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