Chicken Sorrentino or Italian Chicken Sorrento Stype is a super simple yet incredibly delicious Italian dish. It's made with chicken breast dredged in flour, browned and cooked in creamy tomato sauce, all topped with mozzarella cheese and basil.
You can make Chicken Sorrentino with minimum ingredients and have it ready in 20 minutes flat!
Chicken Sorrentino or Pollo Alla Sorrentina (Italian) is a spectacular makeover of the famous Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. Just like gnocchi, this chicken recipe originated in Sorrento, a small Italian city in Campagnia region.
This is a simple luxury you’ll totally fall in love with after the first bite.
Table Of Contents
This Chicken Sorrentino - What's So Special?
- Flavor of juicy chicken nuggets coated with creamy tomato sauce, topped with delicious mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
- Made with only 5 SIMPLE main ingredients it’s nothing short of epic.
- Chicken Sorrentino is a healthy homemade meal.
- You can make it from scratch in mere 20 minutes.
- Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated the next day.
- Chicken Sorrentino is an Italian classics that is perfect for any occasion.
- Make this for your kids, family or for a comfy friends gathering.
- Can be adapted for gluten intolerance.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast - use whole chicken breast and cut it into large cubes (see photos). As an alternative you can use thick chicken cutlets and cut them into strips. You'll need about 25 ounces (700g) of chicken for 4 servings. But indicated quantities of all other ingredients can accommodate up to 30 ounces (850g) of chicken.
- Mozzarella Cheese - it's best to use fresh Mozzarella balls since they are higher in moisture and make the sauce more creamier. But you can also use regular hard Mozzarella that you have available just add an extra ¼ cup of water to the tomato sauce when cooking.
- Tomato Puree - use your favorite canned tomato puree. Feel free to go up in quantity but never go below 2 cups for every 25 ounces (700g) of chicken. If you don't have tomato puree you can use crushed tomatoes pureed with a food processor or hand held blender.
- Onion - use 1 small onion or a couple of shallots.
- Flour - just regular all purpose flour works great. You can substitute it with rice flour or gluten-free flour if cooking for someone with gluten intolerance.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - you can also olive oil, a mix of olive oil and butter or even a high quality vegetable oil. Of course, using Extra Virgin Olive oil will give your Chicken Sorrentino a superior taste.
- Fresh Basil Leaves - use fresh basil whenever possible. As an alternative use frozen basil or dry basil.
- Salt, Pepper - for the amount of ingredients for 4 servings I normally use 2 teaspoon salt total: 1 teaspoon for the sauce and 1 teaspoon for the chicken. Feel free to adjust it to your taste. You can also use pepper for seasoning but I find it's not necessary and usually I omit it completely.
Recipe Variations/ Add Ons
- Turkey - use turkey breast instead of chicken.
- Garlic - add a few garlic cloves when cooking the tomato sauce.
How To Make Chicken Chicken Sorrentino
Follow this easy step-by-step recipe with pictures to prepare the most delicious Chicken Sorrentino.
Prepare Tomato Sauce
- In a large skillet pan add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add finely chopped onion (photo 1).
- Simmer for a few minutes on medium heat, add tomato puree + ½ cup water to thin out the sauce. Add an extra ½ cups water if you're using hard Mozzarella cheese (see notes in the ingredients).
- Simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat, add salt and a few basil leaves (photo 2).
- As a result you should get creamy tomato sauce, not too runny and not to thick.
Prepare The Chicken
- Cut chicken breast in large cubes (photo 3).
- If you're using already cut chicken cutlets you can cut them into long strips. The thinner the cut the more chicken meat will dry out so pay attention to that.
- Place chicken strips in a big bowl and toss with flour (photo 4).
- Mix well, making sure all chicken cubes are well dredged with flour. Don't let chicken sit too long in the flour as flour will start to soak the moisture of the chicken.
- In a large skillet pan heat olive oil. Once oil is hot (but not burning!) add chicken cube shaking off excess flour. Add salt (photo 5).
- Once nice and brown on one side flip them with a spatula to get an even golden color on each side (photo 6).
Mix Chicken With The Sauce
- Once chicken is all browned, add tomato sauce. Mix well.
- Top with fresh Mozzarella cut in cubes and a few basil leaves (photos 7-8).
- Turn the heat an low and let it simmer for a mere minute or two until all flavors are well combined and Mozzarella has slightly melted.
- Garnish with more basil if you prefer.
Top Tips For Making Chicken Sorrentino
- Cut whole chicken breast into large cubes for more juiciness (see photos).
As an alternative you can use store-bought thick chicken cutlets and cut them into strips. - If you don't have tomato puree you can use crushed tomatoes and pure them with a food processor or hand held blender.
- When adding water to the tomato sauce pour it in the tomato puree can first and shake to wash out any remaining puree.
- Don't skip water since chicken dredged in flour with thicken the sauce.
- If using regular hard Mozzarella add an extra ¼ cup of water to the tomato sauce when cooking.
- The tomato sauce should be creamy, not too runny and not to thick. Add more water or cook a little longer to adjust the thickness.
- Don't let chicken sit too long in the flour as flour will start to soak the moisture of the chicken and become mushy.
- Once you've added the Mozzarella cheese wait just until it starts to melt. Avoid overcooking it for the perfectly creamy texture and taste.
FAQs
Below you'll find the answers to most frequently asked questions about Chicken Sorrentino recipe but feel free to ask any additional questions you might have in the comments below.
Can I make Chicken Sorrentino gluten free?
Absolutely! If you are cooking for someone with gluten intolerance, simply substitute rice flour for all purpose flour.
Can I make Chicken Sorrentino in advance?
Sure! You can also make it in advance AND reheat in the oven or in the microwave before serving. You can also reheat on a stove top in a non-stick pan.
Make sure to add a few tablespoons of water and give it a nice stir before reheating. This will thin out the sauce a little bit and help it keep the original creaminess.
PRO TIP: Dunk a piece of bread in the sauce left on your plate. It's the cream of the crop! Italians call it "scarpetta" which means a little shoe.
More Easy Dinner Recipes To Try
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Full Recipe
Chicken Sorrentino
Chicken Sorrentino is a spectacular makeover of the famous Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. With only 5 main ingredients it’s nothing short of epic.
SERVINGS: 4
Ingredients
- 25 ounces chicken breast about 700g
- 2 balls fresh Mozzarella cheese about 1- 1 ½ cups (cut in cubes)
- 2-2½ cups tomato sauce + ½ cup water
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup flour
- Handful fresh basil leaves a few for the sauce, the rest for the final dish and garnishing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare Tomato Sauce
- In a large skillet pan add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add finely chopped onion.Simmer for a few minutes on medium heat.Extra virgin olive oil, 1 small onion
- Add tomato puree + ½ cup water to thin out the sauce. Add an extra ¼ cups water if you're using hard Mozzarela cheese (see notes).Simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat.2-2½ cups tomato sauce
- Add salt and and just a few basil leaves. You should still have some left to add later.Handful fresh basil leaves
Prepare Chicken Breast
- Cut chicken breast in large cubes.25 ounces chicken breast
- Place chicken cubes in a big bowl and toss with flour.Mix well, making sure all chicken cubes are well dredged with flour.⅓ cup flour
- In a large skillet pan heat olive oil. Once oil is hot (but not burning!) add chicken cube shaking off excess flour.Extra virgin olive oil
- Add salt.Salt
- Once nice and brown on one side flip them with a spatula to get an even golden color on each side.
Mix Everything Together
- Once chicken is all browned, add previously cooked tomato sauce. Mix well.
- Top with fresh Mozzarella cut in cubes and a few basil leaves.Turn the heat an low and let it simmer for a mere minute or two until all flavors are well combined and Mozzarella has slightly melted.
- Garnish with more basil if you prefer.
Notes
- Use whole chicken breast and cut it in medium-size cubes (see photos). As an alternative you can use store-bough thick chicken cutlets and cut them into strips.
- If using regular hard Mozzarella add an extra ¼ cup of water to the tomato sauce when cooking.
- If you don't have tomato puree you can use crushed tomatoes pureed with a food processor or hand held blender.
- The tomato sauce should be creamy, not too runny and not to thick.
- If you're using already cut chicken cutlets you can cut them into long strips. The thinner the cut the more chicken meat will dry out so pay attention to that.
- Don't let chicken sit too long in the flour as flour will start to soak the moisture of the chicken.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have a question or want to let me know you loved the recipe?Leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!
This Chicken Sorrentino recipe was originally published on June 30th, 2017. It has been updated with more helpful information and new photos.
Erin Hazen
So our family loved this recipe. I did take some liberties based on our personal preferences. But it’s amazing. I want to thank the author not just for the recipe but for the education about it, the ingredients, and the procedure. That, to me, is the most amazing part of this recipe. I will be applying this knowledge to other dishes and I have high hopes!
Italian Recipe Book
Erin, I cannot be happier reading your comment I'm glad your family enjoyed it!
With every recipe I strive to share all my knowledge and experience from making that recipe with my readers so that they can have success making it at home.And when you find something helpful that you'll use even beyond this Chicken Sorrentino is the best praise. Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know ❤
Jenn
Made this for dinner last night. Delicious!!!!
Italian Recipe Book
Yay!! 🙂
Chuck Hutchison
I'm going to have to try this recipe, it looks so good.....and so easy peasy.
SV
Exactly! Eeasy peasy with a whole lot of YUM.
Good to hear from you Chuck, thanks for stopping by 🙂
Would love to know how You like the result.