Tomato Basil Chicken

March 19, 2022

Last summer I made this Tomato Basil Vinaigrette and I’ve been dying to turn it into a pan sauce for chicken ever since. Well, I finally did it and the result was just as easy and delicious as expected! The garlicky marinade and tangy tomato pan sauce make this simple chicken extra flavorful! Quick, easy, delicious, and perfect for busy weeknights. :)

A sliced tomato basil chicken breast on a plate with garlic bread and a salad

Can I Use Fresh Basil?

Sure! I used dried because it’s a bit more budget-friendly, but if you have access to fresh basil it will definitely take this dish over the top. I’d probably use about a tablespoon chopped in the marinade and then another teaspoon added into the pan sauce. You can also sprinkle some fresh basil over the finished dish.

What Else Can I Add?

This is my favorite part of every recipe. I love sharing ideas for other things you can add to the dish to make it extra special, if you want. Here are some modifications to take this tomato basil chicken over the top:

Make it creamy: stir a splash of heavy cream or a couple tablespoons of cream cheese into the sauce.
Add grape tomatoes: after removing the chicken from the pan, add halved grape tomatoes and sauté until softened before adding the ingredients for the pan sauce.
Add bacon: cook some bacon in the pan before the chicken, then crumble it over the finished dish.
Make it cheesy: top each piece of chicken with a slice of fresh mozzarella. Place a lid on the skillet to melt the mozzarella.

What to Serve with Tomato Basil Chicken

I like to keep things easy, so I paired my chicken with a simple side salad and some homemade garlic bread. It would also go great with something like Cucumber Tomato Salad, Lemon Parsley Pasta, or Pesto Cheese Toast.

Tomato Basil Chicken

A garlicky marinade and tangy tomato pan sauce make this Tomato Basil Chicken an easy and flavorful option for dinner.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Cost $7.76 recipe / $1.94 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Marinate Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4

Calories 303kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil $0.64
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar $0.20
4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
1 tsp dried basil, divided $0.10
1/4 tsp salt $0.02
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
1.3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast $6.24
1/2 cup chicken broth $0.07
2 Tbsp tomato paste $0.14
1/4 tsp sugar $0.01

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, ½ tsp dried basil, salt, and pepper.
Use a sharp knife to fillet the chicken breasts into two thinner pieces each.
Place the chicken breast pieces in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. Flip the chicken a couple of times to make sure all surfaces are coated. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes, or up to one day (refrigerated), flipping once or twice throughout.
Heat a large skillet over medium. Once the pan is hot, transfer the chicken pieces to the skillet. There should be enough oil from the marinade to prevent sticking. Cook the chicken for about five minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through, then remove it to a clean plate.
Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, the remaining ½ tsp dried basil, and sugar to the skillet. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Let the sauce simmer over medium-low heat for about five minutes, or until slightly thickened. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition

A fork lifting a sliced piece of tomato basil chicken off the plate

How to Make Tomato Basil Chicken – Step by Step Photos

Make the marinade first. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 4 cloves of minced garlic, ½ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly cracked pepper.

Filleted chicken breasts on a cutting board

Use a sharp knife to fillet two boneless, skinless chicken breasts into two thinner pieces each.

Place the chicken pieces in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. Flip the chicken a couple of times to make sure it’s all coated. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes, or up to one day (refrigerated).

Heat a large skillet over medium. Once hot, transfer the chicken to the skillet and cook for about five minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.

Pan sauce ingredients being added to the skillet.

Add ½ cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, the remaining 1/2 tsp dried basil, and ¼ tsp sugar to the skillet. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.

Simmer the sauce over medium for about five minutes or until it has slightly thickened.

Chicken returned to the skillet and coated in sauce.

Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top.

Side view of sliced chicken on a plate with garlic bread and salad.

I garnished with a bit of chopped parsley just for some color, but you don’t need it for flavor. If you have fresh basil to use as garnish, that would definitely add both color AND flavor!