Chicken Pomodoro - Great Food in 30 Minutes!

I found this quick meal in the latest issue of Cook's Country magazine and immediately wanted to try it. It uses boneless chicken breasts, which are perfect for quick, healthy meals. I only altered the recipe a bit. I couldn't get fresh Basil, so had to use dried. And I only used half an onion, instead of a whole one. I also used less garlic, because this much garlic at the evening meal can make me feel not so great at times. But this dish had lots of wonderful flavor going on with the chunky, but creamy sauce that had a bit of a spicy kick to it. You may want to omit the red pepper flakes if serving small children. Who am I kidding? My kids would have never eaten this dish just because of the diced tomatoes! They never ate things that were chunky. But my husband and I loved this very flavorful dish. I hope you will too! CHICKEN POMODORO
slightly adapted from Cook's Country

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2pounds)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 an onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)-Cook's used 1 whole onion,diced
2 cloves minced garlic- Cook's used 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil - Cook's used 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can small diced tomatoes
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar, optional-if sauce tastes acidic, add sugar(see note below)

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 3 minutes per side, until golden. Remove chicken to a plate.
2. Heat remaining oil in skillet and cook diced onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and dried basil, if using. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, cream and bring to a boil. Return chicken and accumulated juices to the skillet. Lower heat to a simmer and cover skillet. Cook until chicken is cook through, about 10 minutes, (depending on size of chicken breasts).
3. Transfer chicken to platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Continue to simmer sauce, uncovered, until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat. If using fresh basil, add it to skillet at this time, and season with salt and pepper. I only needed about 1/4 teaspoon salt and no pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and pasta. I served the chicken over Angel Hair Pasta. It was delicious! Serve over pasta, rice or polenta.

NOTE: My husband prefers more sauce than this, but I thought it about right for this spicy, creamy sauce. Enjoy!
ALSO NOTE (added 9-10-10)- I think some tomato brands are more acidic than other brands, so after tasting I sometimes add 2 teaspoons of sugar to the sauce. I've added this info to the recipe.