Description
Braised Catalina Chicken is a comforting, flavor-packed dish featuring tender chicken baked in a sweet and tangy sauce with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It’s an easy, family-friendly recipe perfect for busy weeknights or cozy Sunday dinners.
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz white button mushrooms, quartered
1 large sweet red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium yellow or white onion, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder (or crushed red pepper flakes, optional)
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Brown the Chicken
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on each side for about 5 minutes until golden. Transfer to a baking dish.Sauté Mushrooms & Onions
In the same skillet, melt butter. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the baking dish with chicken. Add bell pepper strips over the top. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook the onions until tender.Make the Sauce
In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, ketchup, tomato paste, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and chili powder. Sprinkle flour over sautéed onions, stir for 1 minute, then gradually add the sauce mixture. Cook until slightly thickened.Bake
Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Cover with foil and bake for 35–45 minutes, basting once halfway through. Remove foil, baste again, and bake another 5–10 minutes until bell peppers begin to caramelize.
Notes
Chicken thighs can be used for juicier results—adjust bake time if bone-in.
Leftovers taste even better the next day and can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
Great served with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread for dipping.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Main course
- Method: oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg