Heat 3 tablespoons olive olive in a 4 qt saucepan or dutch oven over medium low. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute the onion until just translucent and soft. Add the minced garlic and saute for just 30 seconds on low. Remove the onion and garlic to a small bowl or small plate.
Add a half tablespoon of olive oil and heat the pan over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and lightly salt and pepper. Saute until each piece is brown on each side.
Add the stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, fresh basil , dried crushed basil, salt and the sauteed onion and garlic back in to the saucepan. Simmer over low heat covered with the lid cracked for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
For the recipe, if using chicken with bones, after the sauce simmers for 1 1/2 hours, remove the chicken pieces to a large plate and remove the bones and cartilage from the chicken.The chicken will fall off the bones, and be super tender. Put the boned chicken pieces back into the sauce.
Serve this over your favorite gluten free pasta. Rigatoni or mostaccioli for me. Tube pasta is great for this sauce. Pass the parmesan cheese too, for me, but Paul says it doesn’t need it. Serve this with Gluten Free Cheesy and Herb Sourdough Breadsticks or a gluten free Italian baguette.