Ingredients
Scale
- 3 T olive oil, divided
- 1 large bell pepper (any color), medium-diced
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 15 oz can plain tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped basil, chopped and divided
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano, divided
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Fresh Ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle chicken thighs lightly with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, set aside.
- Cook onions in 2 T olive oil on stove for 5 minutes over medium-high, until they just begin to turn golden brown. Add diced peppers and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, ¼ cup of the basil, ¾ tsp oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce 10 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper if desired.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, ¼ tsp oregano, 3 T of the chopped basil (reserve one T of basil for garnish). Drizzle 1 T of olive oil in the mixture while stirring, to distribute oil.
- Pour sauce into a large ovenproof casserole or baking pan. Immerse seasoned chicken thighs into sauce, leaving space between each one. Heap generous spoonfuls of the bread crumb mixture on top of each chicken thigh.
- Place baking pan in preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven, sprinkle remaining T of basil over the casserole, and serve.