Dinner always feels a little easier when this Creamy Tomato Chicken is on the menu! I slice two large chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make four thinner cutlets, then coat them in a velvety tomato sauce made with fridge and pantry staples. The sauce comes together in the same skillet I use to sear the chicken, starting with tomato paste for deep, concentrated flavor and finishing with fresh tomatoes for tender, juicy pieces throughout. And instead of heavy cream, I make a quick roux with oil and flour, then whisk in milk and seasonings for a sauce that’s every bit as creamy for a fraction of the cost!
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Juicy Chicken in a Creamy Tomato Sauce
Weeknight dinners can be tough. Everyone’s busy, everyone’s hungry, and somehow you’re expected to come up with something new every night. This creamy tomato chicken recipe may just be the answer. Once everything is prepped, it cooks in about 20 minutes and is packed with bold tomato flavor that tastes like it took much longer to make.
It all starts by searing the chicken over medium-high heat until it’s golden brown. Then, I turn the heat down before sauteing the onions and garlic until soft and fragrant in all those flavorful pan drippings. I keep the seasonings simple with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, but you can easily add onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, or cayenne to make it your own. By the time the juicy chicken goes back into the skillet, the sauce is savory, creamy, and full of rich garlic and tomato flavor, with plenty to spoon over your favorite sides! Prefer your tomato chicken without the creamy sauce? Try our tomato basil chicken, which is fresh, tangy, garlicky, and completely dairy-free.
Recipe Success Tips
- Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to make four even cutlets. This helps them cook at the same rate, so one piece doesn’t dry out before another is ready. I always check the thickest part with a meat thermometer and remove the chicken once it reaches 165°F rather than relying on its color alone.
- Give the chicken room to brown. I sear the cutlets over medium-high heat to develop a nice golden crust, but they need a little space around them to do that. Arrange the chicken in a single layer and cook it in batches if your skillet feels crowded. Once the chicken is out, turn the heat down to medium before starting the sauce so the onions and garlic can soften without burning.
- Build the sauce in stages. Cooking the tomato paste for 1-2 minutes helps to deepen its flavor. Once the oil and flour are added, keep stirring for another minute to cook out the raw flour taste. The mixture will look thick and paste-like at this point, and that’s exactly what you want. This simple roux thickens the milk and creates a creamy sauce without the added cost of heavy cream.
- Let the sauce thicken before adding the tomatoes. Whisk in the milk and seasonings, then cook until the sauce is smooth and visibly thickened before folding in the fresh tomatoes, which may release a little extra liquid. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. I add a splash of milk if it gets too thick or let it simmer gently over low heat if it needs more time. Don’t let the sauce boil or the dairy may split!
- Use what you have and taste as you go. Mushrooms, asparagus, or peas would all be delicious additions here! Sauté mushrooms or asparagus with the onion, then stir peas in closer to the end. I also think Parmesan and fresh basil would be delicious sprinkled over the finished skillet, similar to the flavors in our Marry Me chicken recipe. Make sure to taste the sauce once the chicken and its juices are back in the pan, then adjust the salt, pepper, or seasonings as needed.
Creamy Tomato Chicken
Cost $6.15 recipe / $1.54 serving
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (fileted, (about 1.5 lbs.) $3.86*)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil (divided, $0.12)
- 1¼ tsp salt (divided, $0.05)
- 1 tsp black pepper (divided, $0.16)
- ½ onion (small dice, (160g, 1 cup) $0.41)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced, (1 Tbsp) $0.12)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.21)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (20g, $0.03)
- 2 cups milk (16oz., $0.37**)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.05)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 3 Roma tomatoes (medium dice, (300g, 1½ cups) $0.75***)
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- Take each chicken breast and cut it evenly down the middle, lengthwise.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with ½ teaspoon each of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Once hot, carefully lay the chicken in the pan. Let them sear for 4-5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan and set aside. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and continue cooking if needed.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes to soften the onions, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring into the onions.
- Drizzle in the remaining oil, and sprinkle in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine.
- Whisk in the milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and remaining salt and pepper. Continue cooking until thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning, if needed.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and return the chicken and any drippings to the pan to warm through.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
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Gather all of your ingredients.
Filet the chicken breasts: Place 2 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs. total) on a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and carefully slice through the center of each breast lengthwise to make 4 thinner cutlets. Try to keep the pieces close in thickness so they finish cooking at roughly the same time.
Season the chicken: Pat both sides of the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Drying the surface helps the chicken make better contact with the hot skillet instead of releasing extra moisture.
Sear the chicken: Heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil looks shimmery and moves easily across the pan, carefully add the chicken. You should hear an immediate sizzle. Leave a little space between the cutlets and work in batches if they don’t fit comfortably in one layer.
Cook the chicken without moving it for 4-5 minutes, or until the underside is deeply golden and releases fairly easily from the skillet. Flip and cook for about 5 minutes more. Check the thickest section with an instant-read thermometer and continue cooking as needed until it reaches 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
Make the creamy sauce: Reduce the heat to medium, then add ½ diced onion and 1 Tbsp minced garlic to the same skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. The onion should begin to soften and look slightly translucent, and the garlic should smell fragrant.
Stir in 3 Tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring so it coats the onion and doesn’t scorch. The paste should become slightly darker and smell richer.
Drizzle in the remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, then sprinkle over 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour. Stir continuously for about 1 minute. The mixture will be thick and paste-like at this point. I always give the flour a full minute over the heat to stop the finished sauce from tasting floury!
Now slowly pour in 2 cups milk, whisking as you go to smooth out the flour mixture and lift any remaining browned bits from the skillet. Add 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, the remaining ¾ tsp salt, and the remaining ½ tsp black pepper. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce looks smooth and has noticeably thickened.
Lower the heat if the sauce begins bubbling too aggressively. You only want to keep it at a steady simmer to avoid it from separating.
Add the fresh tomatoes and chicken: Now add in 1½ cups diced Roma tomatoes with the chicken cutlets and any juices from the plate to the skillet.
Finish and serve: Spoon the sauce over the top and let everything warm together for a few minutes. Taste the finished sauce and add more salt, pepper, or seasoning if needed before serving. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
One serving of this creamy tomato chicken is a chicken cutlet with a generous spoonful of sauce, so it definitely needs a side or two to turn it into a full meal. I love to serve it over pasta, rice, or with a hunk of crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that delicious sauce. I think it would go perfectly with our lemon asparagus pasta, as it cooks on the stovetop in about 20 minutes, and balances out the creamy chicken with fresh asparagus and filling pasta. For something even quicker, add a side of fresh, crispy, ridiculously easy air fryer broccoli! I also think this chicken would be delicious with our spinach orzo salad. It serves four, comes together in about 10 minutes, and its fresh, tangy flavors pair really well with the rich sauce.
Storage & Reheating
Once cooled, you can store this creamy tomato chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating
Warm the chicken and sauce gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring the sauce occasionally. The creamy tomato sauce will thicken in the refrigerator, so add a splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen it as it reheats. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring the sauce and checking the chicken between each interval until warmed through.
Freezing
You can freeze the chicken and sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just keep in mind that dairy and roux-based sauces can split or look grainy after thawing. Thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently as above.
Try These Creamy Chicken Recipes Next:
- Our Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken turns affordable chicken thighs into a cozy 35-minute dinner.
- I’d pile this Creamy Garlic Chicken over mashed potatoes and let the rich sauce do the rest!
- Simple, inexpensive ingredients make Creamy Dijon Chicken taste far more luxurious than it costs.
- I love this Creamy Asparagus Chicken with its golden chicken, tender asparagus, and plenty of lemony sauce.
