Pour this 1 silky topper over chicken breasts into a glass casserole dish for a comforting bake that’s deeply satisfying

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Set out a 9×13-inch glass casserole dish so it’s ready for the chicken.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with about 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Lay the seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer in the glass casserole dish, leaving a little space between each piece so the sauce can flow around them.

In a medium mixing bowl, make the silky topper: combine the crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, dried basil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil or melted butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and sugar if using. Stir well until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, with the cheese and herbs evenly distributed.

Hold the bowl over the glass casserole dish and slowly pour this silky topper evenly over the raw chicken breasts, making sure each piece is well coated and the sauce runs into the corners of the dish. Use a spoon or spatula to gently nudge the sauce around if needed so no chicken is left bare.
Cover the glass casserole dish tightly with foil and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes to let the chicken gently poach in the creamy tomato basil sauce.

After 25 minutes, carefully remove the foil (watch for steam). Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake another 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The sauce should be bubbling around the edges and slightly thickened.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and let the chicken rest in the sauce for about 5–10 minutes. This short rest helps the juices settle and the sauce thicken a bit more, just like the old-fashioned baked dishes our mothers and grandmothers relied on.

To serve, spoon the creamy tomato basil sauce over and around each chicken breast. Sprinkle with a little extra grated Parmesan and dried basil if you like, and serve straight from the glass casserole dish while it’s warm and comforting.
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