This is one of my favorite easy summer dinner recipes! Chicken with tomatoes and basil! You only need 5 ingredients and it's ready in less than 30 minutes!
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What could be better on a hot summer night than a quick and healthy dinner, made with the best fresh summer produce? Nothing, I say.
And what is the best fresh summer produce? Tomatoes and basil, of course.
I have been cutting up cherry tomatoes and cooking them down on the stovetop for as long as I can remember to make easy dinners, and I thought maybe I should finally write at least one of these recipes down for you.
This one also uses another of my favorite ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Why are they my go-to? Because they cook up in practically no time at all.
It's summer. We have no patience for standing over a hot stove longer than 15 minutes.
We are rounding out that bright tomato flavor with two of its best friends, garlic and basil.
So let me see...chicken with tomatoes, basil and garlic. Anything else? Olive oil and salt. That's it. A fresh, easy, and healthy chicken thigh recipe that uses only 5 ingredients and cooks in no time.
How can you say no to that?
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic
Cherry tomato recipes don't need much else. You want to let their flavor shine, that's why we are keeping it so simple here.
Using a good chef's knife, slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
With the side of the knife, smash the garlic so that it splits, and remove the skins. It's okay if the cloves fall apart, but that's not the goal. You want them smashed open so they release all of that aroma and soften in the pan.
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add the olive oil to a large deep skillet or casserole over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add the garlic and chicken thighs.
Cook the chicken thighs about 7 minutes per side, until they release easily from the pan and are starting to get golden brown. Let the garlic get brown and caramelized.
Remove the chicken thighs and set aside on a serving plate. Leave the garlic, oil and chicken fat in the pan.
I use my Lodge enamel cast iron casserole dish for this recipe. It heats up quickly, cooks the chicken thighs evenly and has a secure lid.
Disclosure: I am a member of the Lodge Blogger Network. This pan was provided to me free of charge.
Now something magical is going to happen.
Add the tomatoes into the hot pan cut side down and let them sit and sizzle for a minute. They will start to release their juices. That's the time to use your silicone spatula and start pushing the tomatoes around the pan and scraping up all the brown bits left from cooking the chicken.
Cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, just until the tomatoes start to collapse and get slightly wrinkled. You don't want the skins to start coming off.
Top the chicken with tomatoes and garlic mixture. Garnish with fresh basil leaves–just tear them, no need to chop them–and serve.
How do I serve chicken with tomatoes and basil?
This goes best with a simple green salad or maybe some grilled veggies.
More chicken recipes
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
- Dijon Chicken Thighs with Apples and Kale
- Chicken Escabeche with Jalapeños, Golden Raisins, and Mint
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 6 thighs
- 10 oz small cherry tomatoes one dry pint
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- fresh basil
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes in half. Peel garlic cloves and crush them so they break open. Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large deep skillet or casserole over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add the garlic and chicken thighs.
- Cook chicken thighs about 7 minutes per side, until they release easily and are starting to get golden brown. Let the garlic cloves get brown and caramelized.
- Remove chicken thighs to a serving plate, leave garlic, olive oil and chicken fat in the pan.
- Add the tomatoes into the hot pan cut side down and let them sit and sizzle for a minute. They will start to release their juices. That’s the time to use your silicone spatula and start pushing the tomatoes around the pan and scraping up all the brown bits left from cooking the chicken. Cook for another 3 – 5 minutes, just until the tomatoes start to collapse and get slightly wrinkled. You don’t want the skins to start coming off.
- Top the chicken with tomatoes and garlic mixture. Garnish with fresh basil leaves–just tear them, no need to chop them–and serve.
Notes
- When you are smashing the garlic, it’s okay if the cloves fall apart, but that’s not the goal. You want them smashed open so they release all of that aroma and soften in the pan.
- Something really magical happens when you add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. Let them sit cut side down on top of the browned bits left from the chicken for a minute or two. Then those browned bits will scrape right up and become part of the 'sauce' and taste so good! That's why you need that silicone spatula, so you're not scratching up your pan.
- I used my Lodge enamel cast iron casserole dish for this recipe. It heats up quickly, cooks the chicken thighs evenly and has a secure lid.
- You should only need to salt the chicken and not the tomatoes. Since you are leaving all of the cooking liquid in the pan, some of the salt will still be there. Just taste it to make sure.
This is such an easy yet layered dish. I tried it out and absolutely loved it. This is my go to dish if I am just tired and have nothing to do. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Gianni,
You are welcome and so glad you liked it. Yes, it is deceptively flavorful for such an incredibly easy dish. Perfect to whip up when are tired because it cooks so quickly.
Thanks for reading and trying my recipes,
Debra
I just made this dish for the family . It was a hit. My 3 yr old and 7 yr old, who fancy themselves food critics loved it!
Hi Sarah!
I'm so glad you and the kids loved it!
Thanks for reading!
Debra