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I am obsessed with easy skillet chicken recipes lately. There’s just something about an entree you can prepare in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients. Something ahhhhmazing.
Today’s recipe is Creamy Tomato Basil Skillet Chicken. My inspiration for this one is my 30 Minute Dairy Free Tomato Basil Soup.
It’s really all about this sauce, friend. It has the same layered richness of tomatoes, basil, and garlic that you’ll find in the soup.
Plus there’s a lot of it so I recommend serving this with pasta, zoodles (pictured below), or spaghetti squash. You can even serve it on top of simply prepared veggies. That way you take full advantage of the creamy tomato basil goodness.
I experimented with different kinds of tomatoes and even with using canned tomatoes. In the end fresh roma tomatoes won the day. I also toss in a few cherry tomatoes while the sauce is simmering. They’ll remain whole but soften and burst in the heat.
I use four chicken breasts sliced horizontal to create eight thin chicken breast cutlets. If you have a small skillet you can leave your chicken breasts whole. You’re also welcome to use chicken thighs if you prefer.
This dish is ready in under 30 minutes. Yes, ma’am! Who doesn’t appreciate a quick meal you can whip up on a busy weeknight?
If you love tomatoes and basil this one is going to be a favorite of yours. It’s quickly become a favorite of mine.
More recipes like this:
Beef & Veggie Bowls with Comeback Sauce
Skillet Chicken & Brussels Sprouts
Sun-Dried Tomato Lemon Chicken
Easy Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry
Creamy Tomato Basil Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- salt & pepper
Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce
- 7 roma tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- 2 garlic cloves, or 1 tsp minced garlic
- 10 large fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
To Finish
- handful cherry tomatoes
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- chopped fresh basil
- 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Slice your 4 chicken breasts horizontally to create 8 thin breast cutlets. (If you have a smaller skillet you can leave the breasts whole. I like them thin to soak up more sauce and cook faster.)
- Add olive oil to skillet. Heat to medium high heat.
- Add chicken to hot pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried basil on top of each breast. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken. Cook until remaining side of chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. (It can take less time if you're using smaller cutlets so keep an eye on them.)
- Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Add all sauce ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour blended sauce into the pan. Add spinach and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Stir until spinach is mixed in with sauce. Add your chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to medium low or low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes so sauce is heated through and cherry tomatoes are softened.
- To thicken sauce, turn off heat. Shake together 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small jar. Pour flour slurry into the sauce and stir. Sauce will begin to thicken quickly as you stir. If you want an even thicker sauce, repeat steps with another 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot flour and 1/2 tablespoon water. (Be sure not to add the arrowroot flour directly to the sauce or you'll end up with clumps. It must be shaken with equal parts water before being added to sauce.) Sprinkle chopped fresh basil on top of chicken before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This would be yummy served over pasta. I am a big fan of tomatoes and will be using ones from the backyard in this dish.
Now this is one heck of a dish that is 100% going to be on my family dinner table soon! Comfort food at it’s absolute best!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe 🙂
Ready in less than 30 minutes? Perfect family dinner!
This looks like a hearty, delicious dinner that my entire family would gobble up. The flavors are so rich and inviting and those colors are gorgeous.
I am also obsessed with easy chicken skillet meals!! This one sounds wonderful! I love one that makes a lot of sauce so you can serve it over pasta!
could cashew milk be a substitute? we don’t do dairy or coconut
I don’t have much experience with cashew milk beyond alfredo sauces so I can’t say for sure. If you do try it I’d love to know how the substitution works!
This is so delicious. It will be my family’s favorite in no time. Saving it for future. 🙂
Yum! I love creamy tomato anything and I love that this is with coconut milk. Thank you for a 30 min weekday meal!
Oh my, this looks fantastic. You absolutely had me with those cherry tomatoes that burst but stay whole – those things are like candy to me. I’m all over a skillet meal and will definitely be trying this with my family.
This dish looks so good! I love that homemade sauce, it’s so creamy and yummy!