The Comfort Spoon

Let’s Make Dinner Your Favorite Part of the Day

Hey there, friend! Come on in, the kitchen’s warm and there’s something incredible simmering on the stove. If you’ve ever dreamed of a meal that feels like a hug, that magically turns a regular Tuesday into something a little special, you’ve landed in the right place. Today, we’re not just making dinner; we’re crafting an experience. We’re building deep, savory flavors and creamy, dreamy textures that come together in one glorious, satisfying bowl.

I’m talking about my Italian Chicken Polenta Bowls. Imagine this: succulent, slow-simmered chicken falling apart in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce, ladled over a pillow of the creamiest, cheesiest polenta you’ve ever tasted. It’s rustic Italian comfort food at its absolute finest, but here’s the secret—it’s deceptively simple to make. You don’t need fancy techniques or a pantry stocked with obscure ingredients. You just need a little time, a good pot, and the desire to treat yourself (and whoever you’re lucky enough to share it with) to something truly wonderful.

This recipe is the epitome of what I love most about cooking: transforming humble, everyday ingredients into a meal that feels celebratory. It’s hearty enough to satisfy the biggest appetites, elegant enough to serve to company, and cozy enough to eat curled up on the couch. So, tie on your apron, put on some feel-good music, and let’s turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, one delicious spoonful at a time.

Why This Bowl? A Tale of Two Comforts

Print

This dish is a beautiful marriage of two of my favorite food memories. The polenta? That’s a love letter to my grandma’s kitchen. She wasn’t Italian, but she had a profound respect for simple, nourishing food. She’d stir a pot of cornmeal mush (as she called it) with a wooden spoon, her kitchen windows steaming up, promising something warm and filling. It was the ultimate blank canvas of comfort.

The tomato chicken sauce, though, is all my story. It’s the first “from scratch” sauce I ever confidently made as a young adult living in my first apartment. I was trying to impress a date (who is now my husband, so it worked!), and I remember the sheer triumph of seeing chicken breasts transform in that bubbling red sauce, my tiny kitchen smelling like a genuine Italian trattoria. When I finally combined that sauce with a version of my grandma’s polenta, it was a lightning bolt moment. Two separate threads of comfort, woven together into one perfect, cohesive bowl. It’s the food of my past and my present, and now, I’m so excited to share it with you.

Gathering Your Flavor Makers

Here’s everything you’ll need to build these incredible bowls. I’ve added my little chef notes next to each one—think of them as whispered kitchen secrets to help you make this recipe your own!

For the Chicken & Slow-Simmered Sauce:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs: Thighs are my personal champion here! They have more fat, which means they stay incredibly juicy and tender through the simmering process. Breasts work perfectly too—just keep an eye on the time so they don’t dry out.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil: Our flavorful cooking fat. A good extra virgin olive oil adds a lovely fruitiness to the base of our sauce.
• 1 small onion, diced: The sweet, aromatic foundation. No need for perfect dice here—rustic is good!
• 3 garlic cloves, minced: Garlic is non-negotiable for soul-warming flavor. Feel free to add an extra clove if you’re a garlic fiend like me!
• 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes: The heart of the sauce. I love the texture crushed tomatoes give—thick and substantial. San Marzano tomatoes are fantastic if you can find them.
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano: That classic Italian herb flavor. Rub it between your palms as you add it to wake up the oils.
• Salt & pepper to taste: Your most important tools. Season in layers as you cook.
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes: A chef’s little secret for depth. Just a pinch doesn’t make it spicy, just wonderfully complex.

For the Creamy Parmesan Polenta:

• 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal): Not instant or quick-cooking! We want the traditional, coarse grind for the best creamy-yet-toothy texture. It’s usually in the grain or cereal aisle.
• 4 cups water or broth: Using chicken or vegetable broth instead of water is my #1 polenta flavor hack. It adds a savory backbone that’s absolutely worth it.
• 1 tablespoon butter: For richness and a gorgeous sheen. Salted or unsalted works.
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese: The salty, umami kick that takes polenta from good to “can I just eat this with a spoon?” Use the good stuff you grate yourself for the best melt.
• Salt to taste: Especially important if you used water instead of broth.

Let’s Build Some Magic, Step-by-Step

Ready? This is where the fun happens. We’ll start the sauce first, as those flavors love a little extra time to get to know each other.

Part 1: The Slow-Simmered Tomato Chicken

1. Build Your Flavor Base: Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until they become soft and translucent. Chef’s Tip: This gentle sweating, without browning, is key for a sweet, mellow onion flavor in your sauce.
2. Wake Up the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic (and red pepper flakes if using) to the pan. Stir constantly for just about 60 seconds until fragrant. Watch it closely! Garlic burns in a flash, and we want it golden and fragrant, not bitter.
3. Create the Sauce: Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes. Add the dried oregano, another good pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Give it a good stir to combine everything beautifully.
4. Simmer the Chicken to Tenderness: Nestle the chicken breasts or thighs right into the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the top of each piece. Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. This gentle poaching in the sauce is the secret to incredibly moist, flavorful chicken.
5. Shred and Merge: Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred it completely. Meanwhile, let the sauce continue to simmer uncovered—this helps it thicken slightly. Return all the juicy shredded chicken back to the pot, stir, and let it hang out on low heat while you make the polenta. The reunion! Now every shred is perfectly coated.

Part 2: The Creamy, Dreamy Polenta

6. Boil Your Liquid: In a medium-heavy-bottomed pot, bring your 4 cups of water or broth to a rolling boil. Add a big pinch of salt if using water.
7. The Whisking Moment: Here’s the only “work” involved! Grab your whisk. While the liquid is at a full boil, rain in the polenta in a very slow, steady stream, whisking constantly the entire time. This prevents dreaded lumps and ensures silky smoothness.
8. Simmer and Stir: Once all the polenta is incorporated, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. The mixture will thicken quickly. Switch to a wooden spoon and let it simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. It will bubble and pop like lava—that’s normal! A long, slow cook is what coaxes out the corn’s natural sweetness and perfect texture.
9. Finish with Love: When the polenta is thick and creamy and pulls away from the sides of the pot, it’s done. Turn off the heat. Stir in the tablespoon of butter and the grated parmesan cheese until melted and luxurious. Taste it—this is your moment to adjust with more salt or pepper. Cover the pot with a lid to keep it warm and creamy while you assemble the bowls.

Bringing Your Bowls to Life

This is the best part! Grab your prettiest, coziest bowls. Spoon a generous bed of that creamy parmesan polenta into each one. Make a little well in the center with the back of your spoon. Ladle a hearty portion of the saucy, shredded chicken right on top, letting some of that gorgeous red sauce cascade down the sides. The contrast is everything! Finish with a final flourish: a fresh grating of parmesan, a few torn basil leaves, a crack of black pepper, or a delicate drizzle of your best olive oil. Serve immediately and watch the happy silence fall over the table.

Make It Your Own: Delicious Twists

• Mushroom & Herb (Vegetarian): Swap the chicken for 2 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms. Sauté them until golden after the onions, then proceed. Add a teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary with the oregano.
• Sausage & Peppers: Use 3-4 Italian sausage links (sweet or hot) instead of chicken. Remove from casings and brown before the onions. Add a sliced bell pepper when you sauté the onions.
• Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach: Stir ¼ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce with the crushed tomatoes. In the last 2 minutes, fold in a few big handfuls of fresh spinach until wilted.
• White Wine & Cream: For a richer sauce, deglaze the pan after the garlic with ½ cup dry white wine. Let it reduce by half before adding the tomatoes. Finish the sauce with a splash of heavy cream after you add the shredded chicken back.

Anna’s Kitchen Notes

This recipe has been a living, evolving thing in my kitchen for years! The first time I made it, I was so nervous about the polenta I practically stood guard at the stove, whisking like my life depended on it. I’ve since learned to relax—it’s very forgiving. My husband’s favorite version is with spicy Italian sausage and extra red pepper flakes (he’s a heat seeker). For my daughter, I dial back the pepper and she loves to sprinkle “snow” (extra parmesan) on top. The beauty is in its flexibility. I’ve even made the sauce in a slow cooker on a busy day—just add everything (raw chicken included) and cook on low for 6 hours, then shred. Don’t be afraid to make it your family’s new favorite tradition.

Your Questions, Answered

Q: My polenta turned out lumpy! What did I do wrong?
A: The most common culprit is adding the polenta too quickly or not whisking vigorously enough during that initial incorporation. Next time, try moving your pot off the heat for the minute you’re raining in the cornmeal, whisking like crazy, then returning it to the heat. A fine-mesh strainer can save a slightly lumpy batch—just push it through!

Q: Can I make any part of this ahead of time?
A> Absolutely! The entire tomato chicken sauce tastes even better the next day. Make it ahead, store it in the fridge, and gently reheat. Polenta is best fresh, but you can make it ahead and reheat it with a splash of extra water or milk to loosen it up.

Q: My sauce tastes a little acidic. How can I fix it?
A> This is a great question about canned tomatoes! The trick is to balance with a little sweetness or fat. Stir in a tiny pinch of sugar (start with ¼ tsp) or a pat of butter. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. This rounds out the flavor perfectly.

Q: What’s the difference between polenta and grits?
A> Great question! They’re both ground corn, but from different types. Polenta is from flint corn (yellow or white), giving it a heartier, coarser texture. Grits are from dent corn (usually white) and are often more finely ground. You can use stone-ground grits in a pinch, but the texture will be slightly different.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)

Approximate values, based on using chicken breasts, water for polenta, and serves 4.
Calories: ~460 | Protein: 35g | Carbs: 38g | Fat: 20g
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this recipe, it’s that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special. These Italian Chicken Polenta Bowls are proof that a few humble ingredients, treated with a little patience and care, can turn an ordinary evening into something grounding and memorable. It’s the kind of meal that invites you to slow down, grab a spoon, and actually enjoy dinner instead of rushing through it.

This is the bowl I make when I want everyone at the table to feel taken care of—when I want warmth, nourishment, and just a touch of indulgence without any stress. Whether you follow the recipe exactly or put your own spin on it, I hope it finds a place in your regular rotation and maybe even becomes one of those dishes people request by name.

So light a candle, pour yourself something cozy, and savor every bite. If you make this one, I’d love to hear how it turns out—because the best recipes are the ones that keep getting shared. 💛