Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner = Weeknight Chicken with Tomatoes!
Looking for a fast, flavorful weeknight dinner? You’re in the right place! This quick and easy 30-minute meal has become a regular in our household—and for good reason. It’s hearty, satisfying, and comes together in no time, making it perfect for those busy nights when you need dinner on the table fast.
I make a version of this recipe several times a month, and it never fails to please. The best part? It’s incredibly versatile. This is a great base recipe that you can easily tweak to fit your taste or whatever ingredients you have on hand. Once you try it, you’ll see why it’s one of my go-to dinners—and I bet it’ll become one of yours too!

This recipe comes together so quickly making it a perfect weeknight meal - year round!
Need more weeknight meal recipes? Try my Quick and Easy Beef and Broccoli for an asian twist on your weeknight!
Ingredients
I bet you have all these ingredients already!
- chicken breasts
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic cloves
- tomato sauce
- roasted diced tomatoes
- half and half or heavy cream
- Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes
- white wine -regular or cooking wine is fine
- salt and pepper
- granulated garlic
- spaghetti noodles
Exact quantities in recipe card below.
Instructions
Watch the video below to see this recipe in action!
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and place your trimmed chicken breasts on top. Add another layer of plastic wrap and flatten the chicken slightly until they are all the same width. This will help them cook more evenly. I actually like to flatten min to about 1 ¼ inches or so. Heat a skillet over medium heat. While that is heating season your breasts. First drizzle a little olive oil then add granulated garlic, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning all over both sides. You want your chicken speckled with seasoning all over, not coated like a breading but definitely visible! Add 1-2 Tablespoons of the olive oil to the the hot skillet and add the chicken. Do not touch them for about 3-4 minutes so that they get a nice crust. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. The chicken will not be fully cooked but should be golden on both sides. Remove them to a plate (they will finish cooking in the sauce in just a minute!) Reduce that hot skillet to medium and add that wine. Quickly, using a wooden spoon, begin to scrape that skillet knocking around all those bits...this is deglazing your pan and will make your sauce SO GOOD! Saute the onion in this until soft, add th garlic adn cook until fragrant - about a minute. Add the sauce, tomatoes, cream, Italian seasoning and stir well. Nestle that chicken back into that sauce and let it simmer for about 15 min or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees!
Tips
- Diced Tomatoes - I like this dish with a thicker sauce so I drain my tomatoes. However, if your family likes a thinner sauce or MORE sauce then definitely leave that juice in there.
- Veggies - I love this recipe with just a hit of diced onion. If you don't like onion completely omit it! If you want more of an onion bite then slice them instead, so they are thicker!
- Pasta - I usually serve this with spaghetti noodles (which I start boiling my water as soon as I start the recipe), but Ziti noodle and Bowtie noodles also are great with this!
Equipment
Having a heavy bottom skillet makes cooking dishes like this so much easier! Enameled cast iron works great! Here is a link to some of my favorite kitchen tools!
FAQ
It should no longer be pink, but I rely on a digital thermometer!
Yes, I like to sprinkle the plate with parsley or oregano once plated!
Recipes to Try
Weeknight Chicken with Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless skinless and trimmed of fat
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped or pressed
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 14 ounce can roasted diced tomatoes drained
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning +more for seasoning chicken
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2-3 Tablespoons white wine cooking wine is fine
- salt and pepper to taste
- Granulated garlic
- 12 ounces cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- Between 2 sheets of plastic wrap pound chicken breasts slightly so they are all the same thickness.
- Heat large skillet on medium high heat.
- While skillet heats, rub chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and on ONE side also add some Italian seasoning.
- In hot skillet add about 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil. Place prepared chicken into hot skillet and do not touch for 3-4 minutes until it forms a nice crust. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until browned. (chicken may not be fully cooked at this point, but will continue to cook in the sauce). Remove seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add in white wine and deglaze the pan a bit by scraping all the bits off the bottom. Add a little olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent. 1-2 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook an additional minute. Add tomato sauce, drained diced roasted tomatoes, heavy cream and italian seasoning (and pepper flakes if using). Bring to a simmer. Add chicken back to pan and simmer for about 15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
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