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Creamy Tomato Chicken

Creamy tomato chicken with golden seared chicken breasts in a silky rose-colored tomato cream sauce with garlic and basil. The sauce simmers until thick, then gets glossy with butter and finishes with Parmesan for a comforting weeknight dinner.
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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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • Italian seasoning to taste
Sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 0.25 cup dry white wine or chicken broth either option
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove.
Build the tomato cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with the dry white wine or chicken broth, then add the crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and rose-colored.
  3. Swirl in the butter until the sauce turns glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the tomato cream sauce over each breast. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or gnocchi.

Notes

For best browning, pat the chicken dry before seasoning and avoid moving it during the first 5-6 minutes per side. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid sauce splitting. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce texture can change. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick).