Description
This Tomato Chicken Skillet is an easy and quick dinner idea made with juicy chicken thighs and a simple tomato pan sauce that tastes like the best healthy comfort food. It is great for weeknight dinner and meal prep because everything cooks in one skillet with simple ingredients and cozy flavor. Serve it with rice or bread for a fast family meal and keep the leftovers for healthy lunch ideas the next day.
Ingredients
- 4 medium thighs Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups halved Cherry tomatoes
- 1 small thinly sliced Yellow onion
- 3 minced Garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons torn Fresh basil
Instructions
- The chicken begins as 4 raw thighs and changes once the olive oil and spices cling to the surface. The pieces look unevenly coated with paprika and herbs gathering in small darker patches and some edges still showing pale chicken beneath.
- The seasoned chicken changes from raw and glossy to browned around the edges as it hits the hot skillet. The 4 thighs sit in different spots with some darker patches and a little uneven crust while the centers stay plump.
- The chicken has been moved aside and the skillet now shows onion slices and tomatoes starting to collapse. The tomatoes look wrinkled and juicy with some pieces still bright red and others beginning to burst into the pan juices.
- The tomato mixture changes from loose vegetables into a thicker red sauce once the tomato paste and broth are stirred in. The sauce looks rustic and uneven with onion strands running through it and tomato skins visible near the edges.
- The 4 browned chicken thighs return to the skillet and sink partly into the sauce. The sauce thickens around the chicken and clings to the edges while tomato pieces gather in uneven pockets around each thigh.
- The skillet finishes with mozzarella melting unevenly over the chicken and into the tomato sauce. One portion is plated with a single chicken thigh and chunky tomato sauce spooned around it and basil torn over the top in a casual finish.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you want the juiciest texture with less risk of drying out.
- Let the tomatoes burst naturally in the skillet so the sauce stays rustic and full of fresh tomato flavor.
- Add mozzarella only after the sauce thickens so it melts in soft patches instead of turning watery.
- Taste the sauce before serving because tomatoes vary in sweetness and may need a small extra pinch of salt.
Storage: Store leftover Tomato Chicken Skillet in an airtight container once it has cooled to room temperature. Keep the sauce with the chicken so the meat stays moist during reheating. Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days. The tomato sauce may thicken as it chills and that is normal. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water. Stir the sauce around the chicken so it warms evenly without drying. You can freeze the chicken and tomato sauce for up to 2 months. For the best texture add fresh basil after reheating instead of before freezing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 145mg