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Chicken with Tomato Herb Sauce is loaded with flavor and easy to whip up in a pinch. Packed with juicy, chicken tenders smothered in a rich tomato herb sauce, this family-friendly and restaurant-quality weeknight dish is an unforgettable meal that everyone will be absolutely amazed by!

cooked chicken tenders lay on a bed of tomato herb sauce on a white plate with fresh basil
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This hearty dish comes together quickly and easily, making it ideal for busy families looking for a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen. The flavors from the herb butter and the sweet cherry tomatoes, combined with the juicy chicken tenders makes this dish out of this world. It’s one of those unassuming dishes where the ingredients seem so basic but the end result is like, “did I just make this?”

There is something that happens when the cherry tomatoes burst and cook down into the herb butter sauce. It gets even sweeter and slightly caramelized. The herb butter gives the tomato herb sauce a creamy and rich flavor while also keeping the chicken tenders juicy. With as much oomph as this dish has, you would think it takes a long time to make but it takes less than 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This

  • Hearty and flavor bomb. Chicken has a great amount of protein and it is a perfect blank slate for flavors to be added on top of it. Tomatoes, butter, and seasonings make an ultimate flavor bomb of a sauce that your tastebuds will love.
  • Easy dinner option. This may seem fancy but it really only takes less than 30 minutes to put together. The use of chicken tenders helps expedite this dish a lot as well!
  • Staple ingredients. Majority of the ingredients you already have in your refrigerator, and if not, these are ingredients that are very easy to find at your local grocery store.
side view of cooked chicken tenders on a bed of tomato herb sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need

I love a recipe that lets me just break out my kitchen pantry staples without ever having to make a separate trip to the store. The ingredients in this list are probably already in your refrigerator which is what makes this tomato herb sauce chicken even more appealing. Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.

  • Chicken tenderloins – if you prefer to use another cut of chicken, I would suggest boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts dry out too fast.
  • Flour
  • Salted butter
  • Garlic
  • Italian seasoning
  • Paprika – sweet paprika, not smoked.
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Chicken broth
  • Fresh basil
cooked chicken tenders lay on a bed of tomato herb sauce on a white plate with fresh basil and a metal spoon on the side

How To Make Chicken with Tomato Herb Sauce

Here is a general overview of the steps involved to make tomato herb sauce chicken. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Dredge and season the chicken. Add flour into a shallow dish and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour and shake off the excess. Set aside.

Make the herb butter. In a small dish, mix together the ingredients for the herb butter.

seasoned chicken tenders in a nonstick skillet

Brown and cook the chicken halfway. Using half the herb butter, add to a warm skillet then brown the chicken on both sides, ensuring it doesn’t cook all the way through. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Cook the tomatoes and gently burst them. Add the remaining herb butter then add the tomatoes and let cook until they’re soft enough to gently burst with a back of a spoon or spatula. Pour the chicken broth in and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.

Simmer the chicken in the tomato herb sauce. Add the chicken back into the sauce and let simmer for 7-10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon sauce on top of chicken then sprinkle fresh basil on top.

a metal spoon has tomato herb sauce next to cooked chicken tenders on a white plate

Recipe Variations

With a herb pan sauce this good why keep it contained to just one dish. There are plenty of other things you could use it on, and here are a few of my suggestions:

  • Add the sauce to another protein. Serve it on top of your other favorite protein like fish, pork, beef, or tofu it goes so well with all of them.
  • Mix it in with your pasta noodles for a fresh take on traditional pasta sauce.
  • Use it as a homemade pizza base. Spread the sauce on, top with tomatoes and any other additional toppings like artichoke hearts, chicken, and spinach.
  • Make a homemade BLT with a twist using this tomato herb sauce instead of just plain sliced tomatoes.

Tips for Success

I have a few tips and tricks below to help you make the best tomato herb sauce chicken.

  • Careful to not overcook the chicken. Chicken tenders cook a lot faster than breasts or thighs so be sure to not overcook the chicken otherwise it’ll be tough and dry.
  • Push the tomatoes against the side of the skillet to burst easily. Grape/cherry tomatoes tend to roll around too much when you’re trying to burst them. To help you out, push them against the side of your skillet to stop the roll and burst them.
  • Use a skillet with a taller rim. This isn’t necessary to make the dish but it does help from the tomato juices from squirting onto your cooktop. It also helps to be able to press the tomatoes onto the side of the skillet if it has a taller edge, but again, not necessary – just a helpful tip!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

To store any leftovers, place cooled chicken and sauce into an airtight container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, you may reheat on the stovetop or pop it in the microwave until everything is heated through.

tomato herb pan sauce spread across the top of cooked chicken tenders on a small white plate with toasted bread and fresh basil

What to Serve with Tomato Herb Sauce Chicken

If you plan to make this chicken recipe as your main dish for dinner, you can really serve it with any of the sides you prefer or have on hand. Since this recipe is full of pretty simple and versatile flavors, you aren’t too limited with what will go with it. Here are some ideas:

5 from 3 votes

Chicken with Tomato Herb Sauce

The tomato herb sauce is the most delicious sauce atop this chicken! The herbs, fresh tomatoes, and the juicy chicken are a great trio that you'll want on your dinner table tonight!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients 

  • 12 ounces (340 g) chicken tenderloins
  • ¼ cup (31 g) flour
  • 2 ½ tablespoon (35 g) salted butter, softened
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 pint (473 g) cherry tomatoes
  • cup (79 ml) chicken broth
  • Fresh minced basil for topping, optional
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Instructions 

  • Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, Italian seasoning and paprika.
  • In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon (14g) of the seasoned butter with some olive oil.
  • Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side and half-cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side.
  • Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and add in the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until the skins are charred and they begin to burst. It takes about 5 minutes.
  • Add the remaining seasoned butter to the pan, stirring to melt.
  • Begin to crush the tomatoes slightly with the back of a spoon or spatula to release their juices.
  • Add in the chicken broth, scraping bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for a minute or two longer until well blended. Add the chicken back into the skillet and bring mixture to a light simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, spooning the sauce on top of the chicken occasionally.
  • To serve, place chicken and pan sauce on a plate and sprinkle with fresh basil and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (314 grams), Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 483mg, Potassium: 1215mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Photos by Jesse Reilly

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. Tabitha says:

    Made this over the weekend, it was delicious and came together easily. Husband approved too which is a win lol! Will definitely be put into our dinner rotation.

  2. Heidi says:

    This was so good! Super easy for a weeknight meal. I used about 6 chicken cutlets and served with a orzo mixed with broccoli and parm. Will definitely add into our dinner rotation.

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      awesome!!

  3. Marian says:

    I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could! This dish, particularly the sauce, is amazing. The first time I made it I used the chicken tenders. Came out delish. Saturday night I made the same sauce but broiled some halibut and served the sauce over broiled halibut. It was a restaurant worthy meal! I love Annie’s Eats so I flipped to her blog to read her post. It appears this recipe isn’t her original either. Her recipe calls for broth or wine. I usually love cooking with white wine but I think this recipe is perfect just the way Julie posted it here and I wouldn’t mess with a thing. The next time I have company over, this recipe is coming out!

  4. CG says:

    Just made this today for lunch but did a few things differently.

    Firstly, bone/skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin. It took longer to cook them but that was okay. Secondly, I mixed parsley and oregano since I don’t have Italian seasoning. Thirdly, I used a mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes- very pretty color!

    I think the olive oil is pointless. It would be better to just make more of the seasoned butter (and if you use something like Smart Balance, you can lie to yourself and say it’s healthy) rather than dilute the flavor.

    And I get that the dish’s flavor should come from the butter and the tomatoes but the flour should be seasoned (salt and maybe basil?). I didn’t and while it was still quite tasty I would have preferred a little more “oomph”.

    Overall, I really liked this recipe. It’s simple, pantry-friendly, and it went over fairly well with my kids.

    With a couple of tweaks, it will find a permanent home in my recipe book.

    Thanks for posting!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. Annette J. says:

    I feel the same way about tomatoes as you!! Hard to explain to others why I will eat them cooked, but not raw and I still avoid the big chunks even when they are cooked. The recipe sounds yummy!!

    1. Julie says:

      awesome! thanks for coming back and letting me know :) looks delicious!