Smoked Scamorza Chicken Pizzaiola with Tomato and Herbs

Delicious Chicken Pizzaiola (Pollo alla Pizzaiola) — juicy chicken cutlets simmered in a flavourful tomato sauce, finished with melted smoked Scamorza. Serve with crusty bread, Italian roast potatoes and green beans for a comforting, easy weeknight dinner.

Cooked alla Pizzaiola means “pizza style” — prepared with a tomato-oregano sauce similar to pizza sauce. Traditional variations sometimes include capers or olives. While Steak Pizzaiola is common, here the dish uses tender chicken cutlets braised in classic pizzaiola sauce and topped with smoked Scamorza.

Smoked Scamorza is similar to mozzarella but firmer and lightly smoked; if unavailable, use a quality fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients – what you need

Below is a visual of everything you need, along with ingredient notes.

• Chicken – use skinless, boneless breasts, trimmed and of similar size so they cook evenly.
• Flour – all-purpose flour for a light dusting.
• Tomatoes – good-quality canned plum (whole) tomatoes are recommended; chopped or crushed will also work.
• White wine – a dry white (Pinot Grigio, Vermentino or Verdicchio). Omit if you prefer no alcohol.
• Capers – add briny depth; substitute olives or omit if necessary.
• Oregano & basil – dried oregano and fresh basil (or parsley) for freshness.
• Scamorza cheese – smoked Scamorza for a mild smoky finish; fresh mozzarella is a fine substitute.

Step by step photos and recipe instructions

Prepare the chicken – Halve each breast lengthwise and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until ¼–½ inch thick.

Dredge the chicken – Season cutlets lightly with salt, dust both sides in flour and shake off excess.

Fry the chicken – Heat 2–3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Fry cutlets until golden on both sides (work in batches if needed). Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and set aside.

Reduce the wine – Pour the white wine into the same pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half.

Make the sauce – Add the canned plum tomatoes, rinse the can with 1–2 tablespoons of water and add that liquid to the pan. Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher or wooden spoon, add oregano and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add herbs and capers – Once the sauce has reduced, stir in capers, torn basil and season with salt and pepper.

Add chicken to the pan – Nestle the fried cutlets into the sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes so the flavours marry. Preheat the broiler while the chicken finishes cooking.

Add the cheese – Slice the scamorza about ¼ inch thick. Turn off the heat, lay the cheese over each cutlet, then place the pan under the broiler until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve immediately.

What to serve it with

This dish has a rich tomato sauce — have plenty of crusty bread to sop up the sauce (“fare la scarpetta”). Classic sides include Italian roast potatoes or roasted broccoli, green beans or grilled zucchini. A simple arugula salad with lemon and Parmesan also pairs well.

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Speed things up – Buy pre-sliced thin cutlets to skip cutting and pounding.
• Use good tomatoes – Quality canned tomatoes make a big difference; choose a brand you trust.
• Cheese alternative – Fresh mozzarella works if you can’t find smoked Scamorza; pat it dry first.

More Italian dinner recipes you might like

• Steak Pizzaiola (Carne alla Pizzaiola)
• Chicken Piccata with Capers and Lemon
• Chicken Puttanesca
• Italian Chicken Cutlets with Pesto and Spinach
• Chicken Cacciatore – Pollo alla Cacciatora
• Veal Marsala (Scaloppine al Marsala)

If you try this Chicken Pizzaiola, please rate the recipe and share your experience in the comments — feedback is always appreciated.