Chicken cutlets simmered in a bright tomato sauce made from ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic. This simple one‑pan dinner is perfect with crusty bread and a green vegetable or beans on the side.
This is a fresh, light way to serve chicken, especially in summer when tomatoes are at their sweetest.
I trim and halve the chicken breasts into cutlets so they cook quickly, then lightly dredge them in flour. That gives the finished chicken a tender texture similar to chicken piccata and helps the sauce thicken and cling to the meat.
I like to serve this with Italian roast potatoes or cannellini beans, and a simple green side such as lemony green beans or broccolini.
Ingredient notes
- Chicken – Use 4 chicken breasts, halved lengthways into cutlets. Buy prepped cutlets if you can to save time.
- Flour – Regular all‑purpose flour is fine. Use just enough to coat the chicken and shake off excess to avoid burning in the pan.
- Chicken stock – Low‑sodium stock lets you control the seasoning, especially when reducing the sauce.
- Cherry tomatoes – Ripe cherry tomatoes add natural sweetness to the sauce; tomatoes on the vine are ideal.
- Basil – Fresh basil brightens the sauce. Flat‑leaf parsley can be used as an alternative.
Do I need to dredge my chicken in flour?
No, it’s optional, but I recommend it. Dredging the chicken in flour does a few useful things:
- It produces a tender, slightly velvety crust on the chicken.
- It helps the sauce adhere to the meat.
- It slightly thickens the sauce; skip the flour if you prefer a thinner sauce.
Recipe tips
Adding the stock – start with about 3/4 of the stock and add more if the sauce reduces too much. I usually add it all because I like plenty of sauce.
Adding all the stock at once – this works too; it just requires a longer simmer (about 19–20 minutes on medium‑high).
Make it spicy – add red pepper flakes or fresh chilli, or stir in nduja for warmth and depth.
Extra additions – olives, capers, anchovies or sundried tomatoes are great. Add anchovies with the garlic; stir other additions in at the end with the chicken.
More delicious chicken recipes to try
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Breaded Chicken Cutlets – No Flour No Egg
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Chicken Sorrentina (Pollo alla Sorrentina)
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Braised Chicken with Beans, Sage and Pancetta
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Chicken Piccata with Capers and Lemon
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Cherry Tomato and Basil Chicken
By Emily
Equipment
- Baking parchment
- Rolling pin or meat mallet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb (450g) cherry tomatoes
- 1.5–2 cups (350–500ml) chicken stock (low sodium)
- 1 handful fresh basil
- All purpose flour, for dredging
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them in a bowl. Finely chop the garlic and set aside.
- Halve the chicken breasts lengthways. Place each piece between two sheets of baking parchment and bash to about 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thickness.
- Season both sides with salt, then dredge in flour and shake off excess.
- Heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Fry the chicken 3 minutes on the first side, then 2 minutes on the other. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. You may need to cook in two batches, adding more oil for the second batch.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add the cherry tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and pour in 1.5 cups (350ml) chicken stock.
- Bring to a simmer over medium‑high heat and simmer 15–17 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. If it reduces too much, add more stock (up to 500ml/2 cups total).
- Return the chicken to the pan, add the fresh basil and simmer 2–3 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage – Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove until piping hot throughout.
- Make ahead – The dish can be prepared in advance and reheated when ready to serve.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise noted.
- For canned tomatoes I recommend quality brands for the best flavour.
- Vegetables are assumed medium unless stated.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 6 g
| Protein: 51 g
| Fat: 21 g
Nutrition information is approximate.
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