Breasts of Chicken With Garlic Cloves

Ingredients

• 4 skinless
• boneless chicken breast halves
• about 1 1/4 pounds total
• Salt to taste
• if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• large
• red
• ripe tomatoes
• about 1 1/4 pounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large
• unpeeled garlic cloves
• about 1 ounce
• 13 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
2. Set aside.
3. Drop tomatoes into a pot of boiling water and let stand about 12 seconds.
4. Drain and peel.
5. Cut away and discard the cores.
6. Cut tomatoes into 1-inch cubes; there should be about 3 cups.
7. Heat oil in a heavy casserole and add chicken pieces.
8. Scatter garlic cloves around.
9. Cook chicken until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes.
10. Turn chicken pieces and garlic.
11. Scatter onion around and cook briefly until wilted.
12. Add wine, cubed tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme.
13. Cover closely and cook 10 minutes.
14. Remove garlic cloves and, when cool enough to handle, peel them.
15. Chop cloves and mash them to a paste with the flat side of a knife.
16. Return mashed garlic to casserole.
17. Cover closely and cook 10 minutes.
18. Remove bay leaf and serve.