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Creamy Tomato Chicken

Creamy tomato chicken with golden seared chicken breasts simmered in a silky rose-colored tomato cream sauce with garlic, Parmesan, and basil. This easy Italian chicken dinner delivers a thick, creamy texture with a bright acidic tomato backbone.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 garlic powder to taste
  • 1 Italian seasoning to taste
Cooking oil and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 4 dry white wine or chicken broth 1/4 cup
Tomatoes and dairy
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Flavor boosters
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high until shimmering, then sear until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 5-6 minutes per side), and remove to a plate.
Build the tomato cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook minced garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t brown). Pour in the white wine or chicken broth to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, then add crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 4-5 minutes, stirring as needed, until the sauce is thick and rose-colored with a glossy, creamy look.
  3. Swirl in butter until fully melted and the sauce turns extra glossy. The surface should look smooth and lightly thickened.
Finish and serve
  1. Return chicken breasts to the pan and spoon tomato cream sauce over each breast to coat the tops. The chicken should look lacquered with a thick, pink-tinged sauce.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or gnocchi. Add extra Parmesan if desired for a fresh, vibrant finish.

Notes

Pro tip: scrape the browned bits during deglazing for deeper flavor in the rose-colored sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze the sauce and chicken together for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (sauce will be slightly thinner but still creamy).