Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken is a 25 minute skillet that makes the most of vibrant garden tomatoes and herbs. With tender pan-fried chicken breasts in a light, silky cream sauce, this dish can flex effortlessly from a quick family dinner to an elegant main for company.
A quick chicken skillet that feels rich yet summery!
Dinner is easy to get excited about and easier to make with one-skillet meals that can be done in 25 minutes, especially those featuring colorful garden veggies and herbs. This tomato basil chicken has a delicious garlic-infused cream sauce that tastes great but isn’t too heavy. Fresh tomatoes and basil add so much flavor with so little effort.
Use thin-sliced breasts to help the chicken cook quickly and stay tender. You can buy breasts already sliced thin at most grocery stores, or cut thicker breasts in half through the middle to make your own.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use the best-quality chicken that you can, and slice or pound it into thin cutlets for quick, even cooking.
- To season the chicken: all-purpose flour, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Just skip the flour or use almond flour instead to keep the dish gluten-free.
- Fresh basil and whole tomatoes: a must for the vibrant sauce. Roma tomatoes, on-the-vine, or any other garden variety work well. Cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half work well, too.
- For the sauce: chicken broth, cream, and fresh minced garlic. Simmering broth then adding a smidge of cream delivers a silky, light sauce.
- For cooking: butter and olive oil. This gives an infusion of flavor with less risk of burning.
How To Make Tomato Basil Chicken:
Season and Dredge Chicken: Once the chicken is sliced or pounded thin, sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then dredge lightly through flour to form a light coating.
Sauté: Cook chicken in butter and olive oil until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Make Sauce: In the now-empty skillet, quickly sauté the garlic, then add broth and simmer to thicken a bit. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and diced tomatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine: Nestle the chicken breasts back into the sauce and tuck fresh basil leaves around them to wilt a bit. Let warm through, then plate portions and serve!
Serving Suggestions:
- Tomato basil chicken is delicious served with a small side of pasta or bread to soak up all that delicious pan sauce. Garlic bread, garlic knots, or breadsticks for extra credit!
- A salad or steamed veggies make a nice pairing. Try a simple Parmesan arugula salad or greens with a simple but flavorful Italian dressing.
Storage & Reheating Instructions:
Storage: Place leftover pieces of chicken in any airtight container, top with sauce, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes for the fridge.)
Warming: Reheat on 50% power in the microwave until warmed through. Using half power reduces the odds that your chicken will dry out in the microwave. Or, warm in a small covered skillet, adding a splash of broth or water if you need to thin out the sauce a bit.
Related Recipes:
Love easy chicken skillet dinners? Try my lemon basil chicken, lemon chicken pasta, creamy lemon chicken, or chicken Florentine next. All quick, easy, and delicious!
Love that fresh tomato basil combination? This tomato basil tortellini satisfies, as does a Caprese flatbread, platter of Caprese skewers, or marinated mozzarella ball salad.
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Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 thin-sliced chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Place flour in a small bowl or plate. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly on both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Melt butter together with a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Lightly dredge each chicken breast through the flour. Shake gently to remove any excess, then place each piece in the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add another small drizzle of olive oil to the skillet, then add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, then scrape the pan to remove any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until slightly reduced.
- Reduce heat to medium, then stir in the cream and tomatoes. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste. (I usually add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 6-8 cranks of black pepper; this will vary according to your family’s preference.)
- Once the cream sauce has bubbled and thickened very slightly, return chicken to the skillet and tuck the basil leaves around each cutlet. Let it warm for 1-2 minutes, spooning a bit of sauce over each piece.
- Garnish as desired with extra basil. Serve and enjoy!
