Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). While the oven warms up, place the chicken breasts between two sheets of baking paper and gently bash them with a rolling pin until they are an even thickness — about 1.5cm thick. You’ll hear a soft thud as they flatten, and they should feel uniformly springy to the touch.

Season and sear the chicken. Rub the breasts with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle over the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high flame. When the oil shimmers and you smell a nutty warmth, add the chicken. Let it cook for 3–4 minutes without moving it. The underside should turn a deep golden brown with crisp edges when you peek — that sound of a sizzling crust means you’re on track. Flip and cook the other side for another 3 minutes until it feels firm when pressed.

Build the quick tomato sauce. Remove the chicken to a plate and lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pan. It will sizzle immediately and release a sweet, savoury aroma. Stir for 4 minutes until the onion turns translucent and looks glossy. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until it smells fragrant but not burnt. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée, scraping up any browned bits from the pan — you’ll see the colour deepen to a rich, rusty red. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and you can drag a spoon through it without it flooding back immediately.

Assemble the bowls. If you’re using a single baking dish, spread half the tomato sauce across the bottom. Nestle the seared chicken breasts into the sauce. Spoon the cottage cheese generously over each piece of chicken — it should look like a thick, snowy blanket. Pour the remaining sauce around the sides of the chicken, not on top of the cottage cheese. The contrast of white curds against the red sauce looks striking at this stage.

Top with cheese and bake. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the cottage cheese layer. Bake for 20–25 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the cheese on top turns a patchy golden brown and the sauce bubbles audibly around the edges of the dish. The cottage cheese will have set slightly and look puffed in places — a sign it’s perfectly baked.

Rest and serve. Let the dish sit for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the juices to settle back into the chicken. Tear fresh basil leaves over the top if you like — they’ll wilt slightly from the residual heat and release a peppery, sweet scent. Scoop the chicken and all the creamy, tomatoey goodness into bowls and enjoy immediately, or let it cool completely for storage.