Chicken Tomato Recipe: 5 Tips for Making the One-Pan Dish

Chicken with tomatoes is a common combination of ingredients and can refer to any chicken recipe that incorporates fresh tomatoes or a tomato sauce in its preparation. One easy interpretation involves braising skin-on chicken thighs or breasts with chopped tomatoes and broth, à la Italian chicken cacciatore.

You can find chicken tomato dishes worldwide: Mexican tinga de pollo consists of shredded chicken bathed in a spicy tomato-chipotle sauce. Try Madhur Jaffrey’s butter chicken recipe for an Indian take on chicken with tomatoes, featuring tandoori-baked chicken coated in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce.

Chicken with tomatoes is an accessible, summery dinner recipe format that you can scale up or down depending on how much time you have and what you’re craving. Here’s what to know about building a flavorful, dynamic chicken dinner:

1. 1. Choosing the chicken: Fat equals flavor. No matter the recipe, you can add flavor by first rendering the fat from skin-on chicken in a large skillet. If you already have boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs on hand, use them, but consider adding extra olive oil or another fat to compensate. When choosing between white and dark meat, keep in mind that breasts cook more quickly, getting dinner to the table faster (but also risking drying out). Thighs take longer to cook, but they’re also almost impossible to overcook, making them a low-stress option. The ideal internal temperature for breasts is 157 degrees Fahrenheit; cook thighs to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 2. Finding the right tomatoes: If they’re in season, try to use fresh tomatoes, like halved and whole cherry tomatoes or diced heirlooms. In a pinch, use a can of diced tomatoes for convenience.
3. 3. Adding heat or sweetness: Some cooks swear by a teaspoon or two of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and help them caramelize in the oven, but you can also use sun-dried tomatoes to bump up the sweetness. If you prefer a bit of spice, add red pepper flakes, chili powder, or Calabrian chili paste to the base of your sauce. If you want a rich sauce, whisk in a drizzle of heavy cream before serving.
4. 4. Including vegetables or cheese: For a heartier meal, add diced Yukon Gold potatoes, zucchini, or eggplant to the skillet before roasting everything in the oven. Add bites of cheese, like mozzarella ovolini, just before serving.
5. 5. Serving: Serve this saucy dish with starch to soak up the chicken and tomato juice. Chicken and tomatoes pair well with many side dishes, from polenta or grits to freshly steamed rice or crusty bread. For an easy tomato chicken pasta, serve with a side of spaghetti or penne.