Bright, fresh, and tangy, this one pan tomato basil chicken thighs recipe is the perfect weeknight recipe! Perfectly pan-seared juicy chicken thighs coated in a buttery sauce made with shallots, garlic, and grape tomatoes, then topped with fresh basil, each bite is bursting with flavor!
All you need are some kitchen staples, and you can get this simple one pan dinner on the table in 30 minutes! Perfect in the summer months when tomatoes and basil are in abundance, this chicken recipe is full of fresh flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You really only need one pan to make this chicken dinner. The chicken is seared in the pan and then you can scrape up all the delicious bits to make a flavorful sauce. Serve as is or with some crusty bread to soak up all the flavorful pan sauce!
- It’s so simple. You don’t need a ton of ingredients to make this delicious meal. You’re likely to have a majority of the ingredients already in your kitchen, ready to go! It’s light and refreshing without a lot of effort.
- It’s perfect for a busy weeknight as you can whip it up in no time. The part that takes me the longest to do is probably seasoning the chicken thighs then coating them in flour!
Ingredients & Substitutions
chicken thighs — I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but if you want to use boneless, skin-on thighs, this tomato basil chicken recipe is perfect for that! The skin will get so delightfully crispy and give the sauce something to cling to. If you use bone-in chicken, you will have to adjust the cooking time as it’ll take longer. Chicken breasts are a great alternative as well but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time or slice the chicken breasts thinly.
seasoning — I use a combination of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, but you can use your favorite blend!
flour — by coating the chicken thighs in flour, the chicken thighs get a crispy, golden-brown crust, and the sauce gets to cling to it once you serve everything together! If you don’t have flour, you can also use some potato starch or cornstarch.
olive oil & butter — I use both olive oil and butter as the butter adds a nice, rich flavor while the olive oil keeps the butter from burning. The butter also gives the pan sauce a nice texture.
shallots — the delicate, sweet flavor from the shallots pairs nicely with everything else without overwhelming the pan sauce. It also adds a nice sweetness.
garlic — is there anything as too much garlic? I didn’t think so. To keep things quick and easy in the kitchen, I always have some garlic pre-minced in the freezer.
tomato — I use grape tomatoes, but you can also use cherry tomatoes. I like the beautiful, vibrant red ones for their visuals, but you can use the rainbow ones. I cut a couple of the larger ones in half to get some extra tangy tomato-y flavors in the sauce.
chicken broth — I use chicken broth, but you can also use vegetable broth. You can also deglaze the pan with some red wine vinegar for a tangy and sharp flavor before adding the broth.
fresh basil — unfortunately, there are no substitutes for the fresh sweet basil in this recipe.
How to Make Tomato Basil Chicken Thighs
- Coat the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then coat the chicken in flour.
- On medium heat, heat up your skillet (preferably cast iron, this is the one I use) and add olive oil and butter.
- Once the butter has melted, add the chicken thighs, smooth side down, and then cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken releases from the pan. Flip and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a clean plate. Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add additional butter if needed.
- Add a splash of broth and deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape the pan to dissolve the flavorful, caramelized bits from searing the chicken.
- Add the grape tomatoes and broth to the skillet and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring throughout. Feel free to crush a couple of the grape tomatoes as you stir.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet, between the tomatoes, and top with roughly chopped or torn basil. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I don’t tear or chop the basil until the very last minute as they’re likely to bruise. If your basil leaves are small enough, you can skip chopping them entirely!
- It’s important to use the same pan as the caramelized bits of food, known as fond, is full of flavor when you deglaze the pan!
- Avoid moving the chicken when you first place it in. Allow the chicken to sear. The chicken will come off the skillet once it’s ready. If you move it too early, the chicken will stick to the skillet and tear.
- Chicken thighs are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165F/74C. Use an instant read thermometer to check.
- Sometimes, I like to add extra broth to the skillet to make extra sauce, then serve the tomato basil chicken thighs with some creamy mashed potatoes!
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the chicken and tomatoes in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. The chicken won’t be as crispy when you reheat it, but it’ll still be delicious!
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as the tomatoes and basil don’t hold up well.
- Reheat: reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Tomato Basil Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup flour, or more, as needed
- 1 tablespoon oil, olive oil or oil of your choice
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup chicken broth, or more for additional sauce
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, large ones halved
- ¼ cup basil leaves, or more
Instructions
- Coat the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then coat the chicken in flour.
- On medium heat, heat up your skillet (preferably cast iron, this is the one I use) and add olive oil and butter.
- Once the butter has melted, add the chicken thighs, smooth side down, and then cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken releases from the pan. Flip and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a clean plate. Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add additional butter if needed.
- Add a splash of broth and deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape the pan to dissolve the flavorful, caramelized bits from searing the chicken.
- Add the grape tomatoes and broth to the skillet and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring throughout, continue to deglaze some more if needed.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet, between the tomatoes, and top with roughly chopped or torn basil. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Per Serving
More Chicken Thigh Recipes to Try
- Hot Honey Chicken Thighs
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Gochujang Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs
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