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Creamy Tomato Chicken

Creamy tomato chicken with golden seared breasts and a silky, rose-colored tomato cream sauce. Garlic, crushed tomatoes, and Parmesan create a rich, acidic backbone that thickens beautifully for weeknight pasta dinners.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F, then remove.
Build the tomato base
  1. Reduce heat slightly and cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with the white wine or chicken broth, then stir in crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.
Make the creamy rose-colored sauce
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and rose-colored.
Finish and serve
  1. Swirl in the butter until the sauce looks glossy. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the tomato cream sauce over each breast, garnish with fresh basil, and serve over pasta or gnocchi.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, grate Parmesan finely so it melts evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can break. If you want a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer until thick, keeping it at a gentle simmer to avoid separation.