You might think that this dish looks and tastes very similar to Chicken Afritada that most Filipino loves cooking in instant tomato sauce. Trust me, it's not. It definitely has that Italian kick to it, not that I know a lot about their cuisine. Thanks to McCormick's Italian seasoning, oregano powder and dried basil leaves. Also, this Italian Baked Chicken used fresh tomatoes. They are small, red and juicy resulting to thick and fruity sauce. Topping it with quick-melting cheese in the last five minutes of its cooking time in the oven has sealed this dish in comforting perfection.
My little foodie, Sophia brought this in school once for lunch and proudly told me she finished it! She even commented that she liked chewing the soft tomatoes. I felt accomplished - cooking something that I just tried for the first time and having the kid finished it. Win-win! So I thought of sharing it with you all, because I believe that sharing is caring. Hehe, bagong-bago.