Cheesy Tomato Topped Chicken

This one started as a way to get pizza flavour onto a plate without rolling out a base. The idea is simple: a flattened chicken breast takes the place of the crust, and a quick sauce of softened red onion, pepper and garlic does the work of the tomato base. Cheddar goes on top and melts into the sauce, and the cherry tomato half and torn basil finish it off the way they would on a margherita.

Butterflying the breast is worth the minute it takes. A thick breast cooked whole often browns on the outside long before the middle is done, but opened out flat it cooks evenly and gives you a wider surface to pick up the colour from the pan. Lay it in once the pan is properly warm and leave it alone for a bit before you turn it, so the side takes on a nice golden edge.

Chicken breast is a lean cut with very little fat of its own, which is why it dries out so easily. The sauce helps here, because it sits on top and keeps the meat moist while it finishes in the oven. If you are cooking for one, keep any leftover tomato sauce in a small jar in the fridge for a few days. It is good spooned over scrambled eggs, stirred through a bowl of cooked pasta or spread on toast under a little cheese.

For the side, I like something cool and crisp to balance the warm, savoury plate. A bowl of Crunchy Green Papaya Salad with Peanuts works well if you want a bit of heat and crunch, and a simple Garden Tomato Salad with Basil echoes the flavours already on the plate. If you would rather have something more filling, Crispy griddled polenta with roasted vegetables makes a good stand-in for the base that the chicken has replaced.

A few things I have learned from making this more than once. Use the sauce as soon as it has reduced a little, but do not let it go thick and dry, since it will tighten further as it sits. Check the chicken with a skewer rather than guessing from the colour of the outside, because thickness varies a lot between breasts. And let the cheese melt slowly in the oven rather than under a very hot grill, so it stays soft instead of turning rubbery.

It is a dish that feels a bit like a treat without asking much of you. Have it on a weeknight with a glass of something cold, and you will probably find yourself making it again the following week.