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One of my favorite ways to prepare chicken is to simply cook it in a large skillet, and serve it with a pan sauce that’s made in the same pan as the chicken. I LOVE one-dish dinners because there’s less clean-up, and I LOVE pan sauces because there are so many different options.
This dish came together after I was trying to determine how I could use up some grape tomatoes I had on hand. And after visiting the farmer’s market at Daley Plaza last week, I also had basil and parsley plants that I couldn’t wait to use! This recipe turned out to be the perfect use for both the tomatoes, and the fresh basil and parsley. Despite the fact that it’s served with a creamy pan sauce, it’s actually quite light.
I served this Tomato and Basil Chicken with fresh green beans, and fruit salad, and it was a really delicious summer supper. And with only one pan to clean up, this is my kind of meal! Note: If you do not like tomatoes or basil, feel free to omit them. You could also substitute other items like mushrooms and thyme.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- A handful or two of grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 4 ounces cream cheese, regular or light
- 3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
- Cut two chicken breasts in half so that you are left with 4 boneless chicken breast halves. Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in a shallow dish. Coat each piece of chicken with flour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until the juices run clear.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil.
- In the SAME pan, add chicken stock and use a whisk to pull up any chicken bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Whisk in cream cheese, and stir until the sauce is smooth. This will take a few minutes. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes. If you use reduced-fat cream cheese, you may not be able to eliminate all of the clumps.
- Stir in garlic powder, chopped basil, parsley, and tomatoes, but reserve a bit of the basil, parsley, and tomatoes for garnish.
- Add in the cooked chicken so that the sauce coats it.
- Serve chicken with a spoonful of sauce, and sprinkle a couple of tomatoes and a pinch or two of chopped basil and parsley on top for garnish.
Recipe adapted from
Kraft Recipes
