This homemade Portuguese-inspired Prego sauce is bold, zesty, and just the right kind of tangy! Made with a rich base of tomato, cream, chili, lemon, and herbs it is perfect for making prego chicken burgers, slathering over steak rolls, pasta and even roasted veggies. It is a magical sauce made even more magical because it is homemade (always tastes better). Best of all, you can dial the spice up or down to match your bravery level.
Earlier this year we went to a friend’s house where she served Chicken Prego rolls for lunch — and I thought, what an easy (and delicious) way to feed a crowd! That sent me on a mission to find a homemade creamy Prego sauce recipe.
I knew exactly which ingredients I wanted in the sauce, but I couldn’t find a recipe to guide me — so you know what? I just made one up. And guess what? It turned out bloody marvelous! I nailed it on the first go (which almost never happens), hence my enthusiasm. And lastly, do you know what? My kids loved it, husband loved it, my friend Jules (who tested the recipe) loved it and her family too. So the conclusion? The sauce is LOVABLE. I am certain you will love it too.
You can use it for anything! Jules loved it so much that the second time she made it, she baked chicken fillets right in the sauce and served it over rice. How clever is that? Very!
Slather it on steak rolls, toss it through pasta, or drizzle it over roasted veggies – so, SO many uses.
It’s so easy to put together. When I make Prego Chicken Burgers, I don’t even bother marinating the chicken — I just dunk it in the sauce, pop it onto a hot pan, and cook for 2–3 minutes per side.
Ingredients Needed to Make Prego Sauce:
- Olive oil
- Herbs & Spices: Garlic, Chilli flakes, Paprika, Parsley, Thyme, Black pepper and Salt
- Tomato paste
- Lemon juice
- Cream
Secrets for Cooking Prego Chicken Burgers:
Cut the chicken fillets in half across the middle so you get a thinner cutlet which will cook faster.
If not cooking on the braai (barbeque) then use a really hot griddle or pan so you brown the chicken beautifully and even get those lovely dark searing lines!
Oooh la la look at that! I love squeezing a little lemon juice on afterwards as well for an extra TANG!
Coating some chicken just before frying!
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Best Ever Homemade Prego Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes- Total Time: 5 minutes
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Pin RecipeDescription
Delicious homemade Prego Sauce – this recipe comes together quickly and easily. Use it for chicken burgers, pasta and even baked meat dishes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon parsley (dried)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Pinch of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (+- 50g)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup (250ml) cream
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, chilli flakes, parsley, thyme, paprika, black pepper and salt. Cook for a minute and then add the tomato paste. Cook for another minute and then finally add the lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the cream until well blended.
To Make Prego Chicken Burgers:
Slice chicken breasts across the middle to make thinner cutlets then pour the prego sauce over the chicken fillets and coat evenly. No need to marinate – you can head to next step straight away..
In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, add the coated chicken fillets and fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through. It is best to do this in 2-3 batches.
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