Tomato Basil Chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken is pure comfort in a skillet – tender chicken cutlets swimming in a luscious, garlicky cream sauce with fresh tomatoes and fragrant basil. This recipe is restaurant-quality fancy but SO easy you’ll make it on a regular Tuesday night. With just a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes, you’ll have a dish that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen!

Love More Chicken Recipes? Try My Crock Pot Ranch Chicken or this Chicken Pillows With Creamy Parmesan Sauce next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The combination of fresh tomatoes and basil with that creamy garlic sauce creates the perfect balance of bright and rich flavors. What I love most? The chicken breasts are sliced into thinner cutlets, so they cook evenly and stay incredibly tender – no more dry, overcooked chicken! Plus, that Dijon mustard sneaks in some secret depth without being obvious.

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Ingredient List

For the Chicken:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Flour (for dredging, about ¼ cup)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the Sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Small handful fresh basil, chopped or torn

Friendly Notes:

• Fresh tomato and basil aren’t optional here sorry not sorry
• Got white wine open? Use that instead of broth
• Sometimes I throw in spinach at the end when my mom guilt kicks in about vegetables

Why These Ingredients Work

Heavy Cream: Listen. I tried to be healthy once and used 2% milk thinking nobody would notice. Wrong. It turned into these disgusting little curds and I had to throw the whole thing out and order pizza. My best friend who went to culinary school explained something about fat content and acidity but honestly I just know that heavy cream works and everything else doesn’t. Don’t make my mistake.

Dijon Mustard: You’re probably looking at this like what the heck why is there mustard in this. I thought the same thing! My mom puts mustard in her cream sauces and when I asked her about it she literally said “because Grammy did it and I don’t ask questions.” But it works. It adds this depth that you can’t put your finger on. Nobody’s ever tasted this and said “mm yes I detect mustard notes” – it just makes everything taste more interesting.

Flour for Dredging: My grandma taught me this trick when I was like 12 and watching her make chicken. The flour makes it get all golden and crusty, plus the sauce thickens up naturally as everything cooks, and it helps the sauce actually stick to the chicken instead of just pooling around it. Three birds one stone or however that saying goes.

Fresh Tomato and Basil: I’m usually the first person to take shortcuts. Jarred garlic? Use it all the time. Pre-shredded cheese? Yep. But fresh tomato and basil actually matter here in a way I can’t really explain. They bring this brightness that makes the whole thing feel less heavy even though you’re literally eating cream sauce. I’ve tried dried basil and it just tastes like…dust? Not good.

Thin Chicken Cutlets: This changed my life and I’m not being dramatic. I used to just cook whole chicken breasts and they’d either be raw in the middle or overcooked on the edges. Always. Then I saw this chef on some show cut them in half horizontally and I was like huh let me try that. Now I do it for everything. They cook so much faster and more evenly it’s not even funny.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large skillet (I use my 12-inch one but 10 works)
• Sharp knife for cutting chicken (please sharpen your knives people)
• Shallow dish for flour – I literally just use a plate
• Wooden spoon for scraping all the good bits
• Meat thermometer (I finally bought one at Target last year and why did I wait so long)
• Cutting board

How To Make Tomato Basil Chicken

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Cutlets

Take each chicken breast and cut it in half going horizontally like you’re slicing a bagel. You’ll have 4 thinner pieces total. First time I did this I was super nervous about cutting myself but once your knife is sharp it’s actually pretty straightforward. Season both sides really well with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Don’t be stingy here – the chicken needs flavor. Then take each piece and coat it in the flour, shake off whatever extra falls off. I just use a regular dinner plate for the flour dredging station because I hate doing extra dishes.

Step 2: Pan-Sear the Chicken

Heat up your skillet on medium-high and add the olive oil and butter. Wait until the butter melts and starts smelling good – that’s when you know it’s ready. Add your chicken and it should make that satisfying sizzle sound immediately. If it doesn’t sizzle your pan isn’t hot enough yet so take the chicken back out and wait a minute. Cook for about 4-5 minutes and don’t touch it during that time even though you’ll want to. I know it’s tempting to keep checking but just let it do its thing. Flip and cook the other side. It’s fine if it’s not totally cooked through yet because it’s going back in the sauce later. Take it out and set it aside on a plate.

Step 3: Build the Flavor Base

This part is so satisfying I can’t even tell you. See all that brown crusty stuff stuck to your pan? Keep it. That’s flavor gold. Add your minced garlic, the Dijon mustard, and chicken broth. It’s gonna start bubbling and smelling incredible. Take your wooden spoon and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all those brown bits incorporated into the liquid. My grandma always called this “the magic” and she was right. Let it bubble for maybe 30 seconds while you scrape.

Step 4: Create the Creamy Sauce

Pour in the heavy cream, add your chopped tomato, Italian seasoning, and most of the basil. Keep some basil back for the end because it looks prettier on top. Stir it all together and once it starts bubbling bring the heat down to like medium or medium-low. You want it barely simmering not going crazy. I learned this the hard way when my sauce broke and looked all separated and gross. Low and slow here.

Step 5: Return Chicken and Simmer

Put your chicken back in the pan and spoon some of that gorgeous sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together for 5 minutes or so. The chicken will finish cooking and the sauce will thicken up. If you have a meat thermometer check that the thickest part is 165°F. Taste the sauce at this point and add more salt and pepper if you need to. I always need more salt but that’s just me. My husband says I oversalt everything but whatever he’s wrong.

Step 6: Serve with Style

Get the chicken onto your plates or a serving dish if you’re being fancy, pour all that sauce over the top, sprinkle your remaining basil on there.

You Must Know

Don’t Substitute the Heavy Cream: I’m gonna keep saying this until everyone gets it. Do not use milk. Do not use half-and-half. Do not use that “light cream” stuff. I have personally tried all of these because I was trying to cut calories or whatever and they all curdle when they hit those tomatoes. You end up with something that looks like it’s gone bad. Heavy cream is the only dairy product with enough fat to stay smooth and silky with the acid from the tomatoes. Just buy the heavy cream. It’s like four bucks and you’re already saving money by not going out to eat.

Personal Secret: I let my pan get scary hot before I add the chicken. Like hot enough that I’m a little worried about it. That’s the only way to get that really good golden crust that seals in all the juices. When I’m rushing and throw the chicken in too soon it just sits there steaming and never gets that color and the texture is all wrong. Two extra minutes of heating the pan makes all the difference.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• If your chicken pieces are super uneven after cutting use a meat mallet to pound them flat. Or don’t. I usually don’t bother unless they’re really bad
• Take your chicken out of the fridge like 15-20 minutes before you cook it. Room temp chicken sears way better but I forget to do this probably 60% of the time
• Too thick? Add more broth. Too thin? Just let it keep simmering
• Whatever you do don’t let this boil hard once the cream is in there or it’ll separate and look oily and weird
• I’ve added cream cheese to this before when I had some leftover and it made it even creamier which was good
• Wait until the very end to add most of your basil or it turns brown and wilted looking. Nobody wants sad brown basil
• Keep tasting as you go. My mom always said you can’t fix under-seasoning at the table but you can fix it in the pan

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Sun-Dried Tomato Version: I used sun-dried tomatoes once when that’s what I had in the pantry and it was way more intense but in a good way. More sweet and concentrated.

Lemon Twist: Add some lemon zest and it brightens everything up. Cuts through the richness. I do this when I’m feeling fancy or when I have a lemon that’s about to go bad.

Spicy Kick: My husband loves spicy food so sometimes I throw red pepper flakes in with the garlic to make him happy.

Cheesy Addition: Parmesan on top is always a good call. Always.

Vegetable Boost: I throw in whatever vegetables are dying in my crisper drawer. Spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini – they all work.

Wine Substitute: If I’ve already opened wine for drinking I’ll use some instead of the chicken broth. Makes it taste fancier and also gives me an excuse to pour another glass.

Make-Ahead Options

Prep Ahead: You can cut and season the chicken the night before and keep it covered in the fridge. I do this sometimes on Sundays when I’m trying to make the week easier.

Sauce Components: Chop everything in the morning and stick it in little containers. Makes the actual cooking part go faster.

Not Great for Full Make-Ahead: Real talk – cream sauces are kind of terrible when you reheat them. They get separated and grainy looking. If you absolutely have to make this ahead undercook the chicken a tiny bit and store everything separately, then gently reheat the sauce and add the chicken back to finish. But it’s not gonna be as good. This is really a make-it-and-eat-it situation.

Freezing: Don’t even try. Frozen cream sauces are sad and grainy when you thaw them. I tried it once thinking I could freeze leftovers and it was just gross. Not worth the freezer space.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Biggest mistake people make? Overcooking the chicken. These cutlets are thin so they cook way faster than you think they will. Get yourself a cheap instant-read thermometer. Mine was like 15 bucks and it takes all the guessing out of it. Pull at 165°F and you’re golden.

That Dijon mustard is quietly doing so much work in this sauce. It helps everything stay smooth and emulsified, adds body, gives it depth. Don’t taste it and be like “where’s the mustard” and add more. You’re not supposed to taste mustard directly. Just trust the process.

When you add that broth and deglaze the pan really get in there with your spoon. Those brown stuck-on bits are literally pure concentrated flavor. If you don’t scrape them up you’re missing out on what makes this sauce taste complex and interesting instead of just creamy.

The flour coating isn’t just decoration – it creates texture, helps the sauce adhere to the chicken, and naturally thickens everything as it cooks. My friend tried to skip this step once to save time and she said it just wasn’t the same.

Serving Suggestions

Nine times out of ten I serve this over pasta. Angel hair is my favorite because the sauce clings to all those thin noodles. Fettuccine works great too. But you’ve got options:

• Mashed potatoes – my dad’s choice every time
• Rice (white, brown, wild, whatever you’ve got)
• Garlic bread on the side for soaking up extra sauce
• Roasted vegetables if you’re feeling virtuous
• Simple salad with lemon dressing

My standard Tuesday night version is pasta from a box, frozen garlic bread from Costco, and a bagged Caesar salad. Sometimes I roast asparagus if it’s on sale. Pour whatever wine I’ve got open and boom – dinner that feels way fancier than the effort involved. My kids actually eat it without complaining which is basically a miracle.

Garnish Ideas: More fresh basil, shredded Parmesan, good olive oil drizzled on top, fresh cracked pepper if you’re feeling it.

How to Store Your Tomato Basil Chicken

Refrigerator: Stick leftovers in a container with a lid and they’ll keep for 3 days. The sauce gets super thick when it’s cold but that’s totally normal.

Reheating: I reheat it in a pan on low heat with a little splash of broth or cream to thin it back out. Microwave works too but go slow with 30 second bursts or the chicken gets rubbery and weird. Trust me on this.

Freezer: Just no. Don’t do it. Cream sauces and freezers don’t get along.

Room Temperature: Food safety lady says don’t leave it out more than 2 hours. So don’t.

Allergy Information

Contains:

• Dairy (butter, heavy cream)
• Gluten (flour for dredging)

Substitution Suggestions:

• Gluten-Free: Gluten-free flour or cornstarch should work fine for dredging
• Dairy-Free: This is really tough. Dairy-free alternatives curdle with the tomato acidity. I haven’t cracked the code on this one yet. Coconut cream might work but then it’s gonna taste like coconut which seems wrong for this dish
• Low-Carb/Keto: Already pretty low carb as is. Skip the flour if you want but the sauce won’t be as thick

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My sauce looks weird and separated – what did I do wrong?

Heat was too high and the cream boiled too hard. It happens to everyone at some point. Next time keep it at a gentle simmer. If it does separate you can try whisking in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat and sometimes that brings it back. Sometimes it doesn’t and you just have to eat slightly separated sauce. Still tastes good even if it looks a little weird.

Can I use dried basil instead of fresh?

I mean you technically can but why would you do that to yourself. Fresh basil is what makes this dish actually taste fresh and bright instead of just heavy and creamy. Dried basil tastes like dust honestly. If you absolutely have to use dried because you’re snowed in or whatever use about a teaspoon and add it with the other seasonings. But get fresh next time I’m begging you.

The sauce is too thin – how do I fix it?

Just let it keep simmering. It’ll reduce and thicken naturally. The flour from the chicken helps too as it cooks. If you’re impatient mix half a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon of water and stir that in then simmer for another minute. That’ll thicken it right up.

Can I make this ahead for meal prep?

Honestly it’s best made fresh. Cream sauces are finicky when you reheat them. But if you’re meal prepping and need to, undercook the chicken slightly, store it separate from the sauce, then when you’re ready to eat gently reheat the sauce on low, add the chicken back, and finish cooking together. It won’t be quite as good as fresh but it’ll be edible. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how it turned out and what you served it with!