* 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs * 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed * 2 shallots or 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced * ½ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes * 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced * ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste if you like * ¼ cup balsamic vinegar * 2 14.5-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes * Parmesan rind, optional * Pinch of sugar, optional * 12 ounces spaghetti * ½ cup grated mozzarella * Salt and pepper to taste
**Fried basil panko:**
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil * 1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped * 1 cup panko * ½ cup freshly grated parmesan * Pinch of salt
**Fry the chicken:**
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 2. Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Place the chicken into the pot, skin-side down, and fry without moving for 5 minutes until golden brown all over. Flip and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes. They need not be cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
**Start the sauce:**
1. To the pot of rendered chicken fat, add the diced shallots and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 3–5 minutes or until the shallots soften. 2. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute until fragrant. 3. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. 4. Add the canned tomatoes and season all over with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, gently mash the tomatoes. Add the parmesan rind and a pinch of sugar.
**Bake the chicken and sauce:**
1. Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce, skin-side up, and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes. If using bone-in thighs, increase cooking time to 30–35 minutes. Once the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler.
**Cook the spaghetti:**
1. While the chicken bakes, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Remove 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
**Prepare the fried basil panko:**
1. In a small pot, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped basil leaves and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. 2. Add the panko and stir to incorporate. Cook until the panko deepens in color and toasts. Turn off the heat. Let stand for 5–10 minutes. 3. Stir the grated parmesan into the panko. Add a sprinkle of salt. Set aside.
**Finish the chicken:**
1. Remove the parmesan rind from the sauce and discard it. Sprinkle a bit of mozzarella on top of each piece of chicken. Drizzle the mozzarella with a touch of extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Transfer the pot back to the oven under the broiler, and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Turn off the broiler and remove the pot from the oven. Scatter a bit of the basil panko on top of the chicken and transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Don’t worry if some of the panko ends up in the sauce!
**Sauce the pasta:**
1. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Add the pasta cooking water, as needed, and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
**To serve:**
1. Divide the pasta between shallow bowls and serve with a chicken thigh on top. Spoon more fried basil panko on top and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
3 Comments
**Recipe here originally: [Cheesy Tomato Chicken Pasta](https://www.triedandtruerecipe.com/cheesy-tomato-chicken-pasta/)**
* 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
* 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
* 2 shallots or 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
* ½ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
* 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
* ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste if you like
* ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
* 2 14.5-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
* Parmesan rind, optional
* Pinch of sugar, optional
* 12 ounces spaghetti
* ½ cup grated mozzarella
* Salt and pepper to taste
**Fried basil panko:**
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
* 1 cup panko
* ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
* Pinch of salt
**Fry the chicken:**
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Place the chicken into the pot, skin-side down, and fry without moving for 5 minutes until golden brown all over. Flip and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes. They need not be cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
**Start the sauce:**
1. To the pot of rendered chicken fat, add the diced shallots and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 3–5 minutes or until the shallots soften.
2. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil.
4. Add the canned tomatoes and season all over with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, gently mash the tomatoes. Add the parmesan rind and a pinch of sugar.
**Bake the chicken and sauce:**
1. Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce, skin-side up, and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes. If using bone-in thighs, increase cooking time to 30–35 minutes. Once the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler.
**Cook the spaghetti:**
1. While the chicken bakes, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Remove 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
**Prepare the fried basil panko:**
1. In a small pot, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped basil leaves and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Add the panko and stir to incorporate. Cook until the panko deepens in color and toasts. Turn off the heat. Let stand for 5–10 minutes.
3. Stir the grated parmesan into the panko. Add a sprinkle of salt. Set aside.
**Finish the chicken:**
1. Remove the parmesan rind from the sauce and discard it. Sprinkle a bit of mozzarella on top of each piece of chicken. Drizzle the mozzarella with a touch of extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Transfer the pot back to the oven under the broiler, and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Turn off the broiler and remove the pot from the oven. Scatter a bit of the basil panko on top of the chicken and transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Don’t worry if some of the panko ends up in the sauce!
**Sauce the pasta:**
1. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Add the pasta cooking water, as needed, and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
**To serve:**
1. Divide the pasta between shallow bowls and serve with a chicken thigh on top. Spoon more fried basil panko on top and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Aka, Chicken parmesan
Looks tasty!