Chicken in Tomato Sauce

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make chicken in tomato sauce? Gather the ingredients. You'll need chicken breasts and legs, but this recipe works with other cuts too — drumsticks or leg quarters, for example. If needed, thaw the meat ahead of time by moving it from the freezer to the bottom shelf of the fridge.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the chicken pieces, remove any membrane, and trim off excess fat. Cut the meat into medium serving-size pieces.

3. Step 3:

   

   Put the chicken pieces in a suitably sized, heavy-bottomed pot and pour in 300 ml (about 1 1/4 cups) of water. Set the pot over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to a minimum and cook the broth for about 15 minutes, skimming off the foam as it forms.

4. Step 4:

   

   Drain the broth into a separate container (you can use it later for a soup). Pour 250 ml (about 1 cup) of fresh cold water into the pot. Use good-quality, neutral-tasting filtered or bottled water; it's best to avoid tap water, which can give the dish an off taste.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add the ketchup to the pot and simmer, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, turning the chicken now and then. You can use tomato sauce instead of ketchup — just thin it first in a cup with a little cool boiled water.

6. Step 6:

   

   Peel the garlic cloves, put them through a press, and add them to the pot. Taste and add salt if needed. If you like, stir in a store-bought chicken seasoning blend — but check the label first: if it already contains salt, keep that in mind when you season, or you risk oversalting. Simmer the dish for another 3 minutes, then take it off the heat. Serve the braised chicken with any side dish or vegetables, and sprinkle it with chopped herbs before serving.