Craving something bold and flavourful without spending ages in the kitchen? This Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce is the answer. It's quick and easy to make and all cooked in one pan.
Juicy chicken simmered in a vibrant roasted red pepper and basil sauce and perfect served with pasta, rice, or whatever you've got on hand.
Calories in Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce
This recipe serves 2 and is 192 calories per serving
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 100+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie intake using a reliable calorie calculator. Please note that the calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and serving sizes. Personalizing your calculations is essential to meet your individual needs. By using a calorie calculator, you can make informed choices and stay on track with your dietary goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken breast - A lean, high-protein option that keeps the dish light. Slice in half or pound slightly for quicker, even cooking.
- Onion - Forms the savoury base of the sauce with a touch of natural sweetness. A white or yellow onion works best.
- Garlic - Adds depth and warmth to the sauce. A must for building flavour.
- Roasted red peppers (jarred, brined) - These bring a lovely smoky sweetness to the sauce. Drain and rinse to tone down the brine. Most go into the blender, but a few are reserved to dice and stir in for texture.
- Tomato paste - Gives the sauce a deep, rich tomato flavour.
- Olive oil - Used to sauté the onion and garlic, adding richness to the sauce.
- Maple syrup - Just a touch goes into the sauce to balance out the acidity and enhance the natural sweetness of the peppers.
- Stock - Helps loosen the sauce and adds savoury depth. A simple way to keep everything full of flavour.
- Salt and pepper - For seasoning throughout. Adjust to taste at the end.
- Fresh basil leaves - Most get blended into the sauce for herby freshness, but a few are reserved and added to top just before serving for that final burst of flavour.
- Olive oil spray - Used to coat the pan lightly when searing the chicken, keeping things light without compromising on that lovely golden colour.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
This recipe is easy to adapt depending on what you've got in the fridge or what you're craving.
Swap the chicken breast for boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer something a bit more tender and full-flavoured.
Prawns (shrimp) are another lovely option. They cook quickly, so stir them into the sauce right at the end and simmer just until they turn pink.
For a richer twist, add a splash of single cream after blending to make the sauce silky and smooth. It turns the dish into a comforting creamy version without much effort.
If you like a bit of spice, sprinkle in some chilli flakes while cooking the garlic to bring a gentle heat that balances the sweetness of the peppers.
Cheese - if serving with pasta, some grated parmesan finishes the dish off beautifully or you can ever add some torn mozzarella and finish off by melting under the grill.
No fresh basil? A spoonful of green pesto stirred into the sauce at the end will still give that flavour, or you can use dried basil (the flavour won't be as intense), just add it earlier so it has time to infuse.
Extra Vegetables - Add chopped courgettes, mushrooms, or mixed bell peppers for extra texture and flavour. Saute these tougher veggies first to soften them before adding the sauce. Spinach can be stirred in at the end. Keep in mind, extra veg will thicken the sauce, so add a splash more stock to keep it nice and saucy.
This way, you get a heartier dish without losing any of that vibrant, roasted red pepper flavour.
Sides for Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce
To round out this meal, here are some tasty side options that work perfectly with the vibrant sauce and tender chicken:
- Crispy potato wedges for something hearty and perfect for soaking up the sauce - try these Garlic and Herb Potato Wedges
- Mashed potatoes for a comforting, classic option - try my Lighter Mashed Potatoes
- cooked plain rice to keep it simple and light or try a seasoned rice like this Herby Garlic Seasoned Rice
- Your favourite pasta for a classic pairing
- Steamed or roasted vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or asparagus, lightly seasoned to add freshness and a satisfying crunch
- A side salad packed with all your favourite salad ingredients like baby leaves, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion tossed in a light vinaigrette of your choice to add brightness and balance the richness of the dish
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Do you want more delicious Chicken recipes? Here are some of recipes that you will LOVE!
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or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.
All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.
FAQ for Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container and make sure it's fully cooled before popping it in.
Yes, this dish freezes well. Let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. It'll keep for up to 3 months.
Reheat gently on the hob (stovetop) over medium-low heat until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between, but be careful not to overdo it or the chicken can dry out.
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Recipe Card
Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce
A quick and vibrant one-pan dish, this Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Basil Sauce is full of bold Mediterranean flavour and ready in around 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 400g (14oz) boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into tenders
- salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 200g (7oz) roasted red peppers, jarred (not in oil)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (puree)
- 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
- 240ml (1 cup) of chicken stock
- handful of fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Reserve a small portion (around 50g) of the roasted red peppers and dice them—set these aside for later. Add the remaining roasted red peppers to a mini blender or food processor along with the maple syrup, tomato paste, and most of the basil leaves (save a few for garnish). Blend until smooth.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly spray with olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics: Add the olive oil to the same pan, then add the chopped onion and garlic. Fry until softened and lightly golden.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour in the blended red pepper sauce and stock, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Finish the dish: Return the chicken to the pan along with the reserved diced red peppers. Simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through. If you need to loosen sauce because it thickens too much. Just add in a little more stock.
- Serve: Scatter over the remaining fresh basil leaves. Serve hot with your choice of sides and enjoy!
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Dairy Free Friendly
- Gluten Free Friendly - use gluten free stock
- ❄️ Suitable for Freezing
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Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 192Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 63mgSodium 272mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 5gProtein 25g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
diane kendall says
how many ounces or gramms is a cup that you use in receipes please
admin says
1 cup = 230ml 🙂
Anonymous says
This is absolutely gorgeous, was worried as couldnt find any sweet red pepper paste but bought jar of hot sweet red peppers and blitzed them in processor and wrked fine! My husband had no idea was healthy as was so delicious, have got some leftover sauce so going to try it with pork steaks tonight. Keep up the good work!
Lorna Tovey says
Made this last night..It was delicious..Even my son said “You can make this again Mum”…
HRYA says
This is such a great recipe. The rich sauce would go well with anything. It has become a favourite and shared with family. Thank you. 🙂