Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes
No more guessing what’s for dinner with chicken when you can make Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes using canned tomatoes! This skillet chicken dinner for two is ready in under an hour from prep to plate.
It seems more and more lately I’ve been making less and less time for dinner. Sometimes when I meal plan, I don’t know what to make and think “oh I’ll figure it out later.”
Then later comes and I still haven’t figured it out. Then I end up cobbling together a not so healthy dinner. Rinse and repeat the next day.
Does that sound familiar? I bet you can relate too. We need to get back on track! One way to do this is have a list of favorite meals. Ones you can make every week and never get tired.
I’ve been making this balsamic chicken with tomatoes for several years now as I often have chicken and canned tomatoes on hand.
It’s especially perfect during summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven but you still need to eat.
It’s a skillet chicken recipe made with boneless skinless chicken breast cooked on the stove top with a pan “sauce” of balsamic tomatoes.
If you’re a fan of dark meat, you can also make this chicken and tomato recipe using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite ingredients, which is why I can eat this stove top chicken again and again.
Unlike my roasted chicken quarters, it’s an easy chicken recipe for two you can make during a busy weeknight as it takes less than 1 hour from prep to plate.
Although this is a casual weeknight dinner, I can also see it being served as a romantic dinner for two at home with a glass of red wine.
Despite the bad reputation chicken breast gets, it stays moist and flavorful thanks to browning it on the outside first and not overcooking it.
Serve it with green onion salad or Italian Potato Salad for a complete weeknight dinner.
Ingredients For Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes
To make your chicken and tomato recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chicken breast: Make sure your boneless skinless breasts are completely thawed and patted dry to reduce the water released in the skillet. You can also use thighs.
- Salt and pepper: Preferably kosher salt
- Olive oil: For browning and cooking the chicken
- Onion and garlic: Aromatics for the balsamic tomatoes
- Canned tomatoes: Canned tomatoes means you can make your balsamic chicken all year round! Look for petite diced as they’re a smaller cut than diced.
- Chicken broth/stock: Brings the pan “sauce” together
- Balsamic vinegar: The star flavor of the dish! The higher quality you can use, the better
- Butter: Adds some richness to the “sauce” to cut through the acidicy of the tomatoes and vinegar
- Basil: Adds some freshness to this Italian dinner
Do I need to pound out my chicken breast?
Chicken breast cooks relatively quickly, which makes them ideal for skillet chicken. The thinner they are, the faster your dinner will cook.
Plus if they’re too thick, there’s a good chance the outside will burn before the inside cooks fully. Pound the breasts to about 1/2 inch thick with a meat mallet (or rolling pin or can of green beans or…).
You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you’re a fan of dark meat like me. Usually they don’t need to be pounded out if laid completely flat.
How To Make Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes
Here’s how to make your tomato chicken recipe:
- Add chicken to hot oil in a large skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown then flip.
- Cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165F, roughly another 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep it warm.
- Cook onion and garlic in skillet until brown.
- Add tomatoes, broth, and vinegar then bring to a simmer.
- Cook until reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in butter and basil then add chicken back to skillet.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4-5 days.
Balsamic Chicken FAQ
Yes! Halve roughly 2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes then cook until the tomatoes begin to soften.
Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs. I like to use 2 thighs per person, but you can decide how hungry you are.
Yes! Double the ingredients. You may need to cook the chicken in two batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
More Chicken Recipes For Two
Looking for more dinner recipes with chicken? Check out these easy chicken recipes:
- Chicken Broccoli Rice
- Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
- Chicken Pot Pie For Two
- Buffalo Chicken Chili
Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes
No more guessing what’s for dinner with chicken when you can make Balsamic Chicken With Tomatoes using canned tomatoes! This skillet chicken dinner for two is ready in under an hour from prep to plate.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, patted dry
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow or white onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil. Once hot, add the chicken top side down. Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Flip and cook until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165F degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- If skillet is dry, add a little more oil. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add drained tomatoes, broth, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Taste and add up to 1/2 teaspoon salt. If your tomatoes are really acidic, you can add a little bit of sugar.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Add the basil and any clear juices accumulated from the chicken. Taste and adjust for salt. Add the chicken and serve immediately.
Notes
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my Chicken Broccoli Rice!
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First published October 30, 2017
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I live in Ohio and i agree with you on Red Pack and Red Gold tomato products. Their flavor is excellent and I can definitely tell when I use them and when I don’t.
Love you recipes.. I’m from Pa. as well so of course I would love them. There is a thread for certain foods that run thru N.W. Pa. We like food lol
Yes there are certain brands that stand out when cooking, including Redpack/Red Gold. Where are you from in PA?