This Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken recipe is the perfect comforting one pan meal. Serve this tomato basil chicken with pasta, potatoes or rice and a green salad for a balanced dinner.
30 minutes
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: The pan-searing technique for juicy chicken
Worth It: Cooking in one pan means easier cleanup
Bonus: Alternate slow cooker method
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pan perfection – This tomato basil chicken recipe comes together quickly in one pan, making it so easy to put together and even easier to clean up.
- Weeknight eating favorite – I love making this for a weeknight eating favorite. It takes less than 30 minutes for your whole meal to come together.
- Go to comfort meal – This creamy dish is the best comfort meal. Serve it with pasta for a cozy and delicious dinner.
Serving Suggestions
The beauty of this creamy tomato basil chicken dish is the fact that it works for lots of different dietary preferences. It’s gluten-free, low carb on its own, and so easy to make.
If you want to keep it low carb, you could opt to serve it alongside a salad with my mason jar salad dressing. You could also serve it with zucchini noodles instead of pasta. If you want to serve it alongside some bread, try this overnight bread recipe.
For dessert, you could do a simple chocolate fruit dip or chocolate parfait.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast – Use boneless skinless breasts to keep this recipe quick and easy
- Kosher salt, black pepper, oregano – this spice blend is the perfect combination to season your chicken
- Oil – I use olive oil, but you can also use any neutral oil
- Grape tomatoes – grape tomatoes are perfect for year round eating
- Garlic – add some minced cloves garlic to intensify the flavors in tomato sauce
- Heavy cream – this gives your tomato basil chicken the perfect consistency
- Parmesan cheese – the parm will add to the creaminess and give the perfect flavor to your meal
- Tomato paste – I love using tomato paste because it adds the perfect burst of flavor
- Chicken broth – I use chicken broth to add even more flavor to the dish while getting that perfect consistency
- Fresh basil – add some tears of fresh basil on top to finish off this easy meal
Ingredient Substitutions
Instead of chicken breasts, you could use chicken thighs. Adjust the cooking time as needed for the size of your thighs.
I love using tomato paste, but if you only have diced tomatoes on hand, you could opt for a blended tomato sauce. For some added vegetables, you could also add some roasted red peppers. If you want a bit of smokiness or heat, add a quarter teaspoon or so paprika or red pepper flakes to taste. A tablespoon of basil pesto could also be a fun addition when you are serving your chicken.
I have not made it, but you can try this recipe in the crockpot for a shredded chicken. Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low until the chicken reaches 165F.
How to Make
Step 1: saute your chicken
Tenderize chicken breasts by pounding them to half thickness with a meat tenderizer. Season chicken breast on both sides with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook on medium for 5 minutes each side (Image 1). Remove the chicken from the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Saute Tomatoes and Make Sauce
Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan whole and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook on medium low until the cherry tomatoes blister and begin to burst, about 6 minutes (Image 2).
While the tomatoes cook, whisk together heavy cream, tomato paste and chicken broth (Image 3). Smash down any of the blistered tomatoes that haven’t burst yet and pour the liquid mixture into the pan (Image 4).
Step 3: Combine Everything In your Pan
Stir to combine and allow the mixture to start to simmer (Image 5). Slowly pour in the parmesan cheese and stir until it is completely melted and mixed into the sauce. Please the chicken back in the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Simmer for 3 more minutes and serve with ribbons of fresh basil (Image 6).
If you would like to serve this with pasta, boil 8oz of pasta. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the cooked and drained pasta, along with 1/4 cup pasta water into the pan with the chicken and the sauce.
Storage and reheating
This dish is best enjoyed immediately. but you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove top in its own sauce.
Check out these other one pan chicken dinners
Please find the full instructions below and if you make this dish I would love for you to share your creations with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 8 oz grape tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Fresh basil
- Optional: 8oz pasta
Instructions
- Tenderize chicken breasts by pounding them to half thickness with a meat tenderizer. Season chicken breast on both sides with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook on medium for 5 minutes each side. Remove the chicken from the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the minced garlic. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan whole and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook on medium low until the cherry tomatoes blister and begin to burst, about 6 minutes
- While the tomatoes cook, whisk together heavy cream, tomato paste and chicken broth. Smash down any of the blistered tomatoes that haven’t burst yet and pour the liquid mixture into the pan
- Stir to combine and allow the mixture to start to simmer. Slowly pour in the parmesan cheese and stir until it is completely melted and mixed into the sauce. Please the chicken back in the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Simmer for 3 more minutes and serve with ribbons of fresh basil.
- Optional: If you would like to serve this with pasta, boil 8oz of pasta. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the cooked and drained pasta, along with 1/4 cup pasta water into the pan with the chicken and the sauce.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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