This creamy tomato chicken is an easy dinner that comes together quickly. In this recipe, skinless, boneless chicken thighs are cooked in a tomato sauce flavored with onions and plenty of garlic, creating a rich and savory base. Then it's finished with fresh spinach and half-and-half for a dish that's comforting, flavorful, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Serve it over pasta or with crusty bread to soak up every drop of the delicious sauce!
What's great about this recipe
- Quick and easy: This dish comes together in less than an hour, making it great for busy weeknights.
- One-pan meal: The chicken and sauce cook in a single skillet for easy prep and minimal cleanup.
- Rich and creamy sauce: The combination of tomatoes, garlic, and half-and-half creates a luxurious, flavor-packed sauce.
- Wholesome and delicious: With protein from the chicken and fresh spinach for added color and texture, it’s an easy way to enjoy a nourishing meal.
Ingredients
- Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best.
- Seasoning – salt, oregano, and black pepper.
- Oil – we use olive oil since we’re not going to cook the chicken or the sauce at high heat, but any oil suitable for sauteing and without a strong flavor will do; use your favorite.
- Produce – onions and garlic add plenty of flavor to the tomato cream sauce, spinach adds a touch of color and some extra nutrients.
- Pantry – we’ll need canned crushed tomatoes (we use crushed fire roasted tomatoes), tomato paste and chicken broth from the pantry. This recipe also calls for white wine, substitute chicken broth if you don’t use/have wine.
- Cream – use half and half or heavy cream. We use half and half because it gives us the creamy touch we’re looking for but it’s lighter than heavy cream.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make creamy tomato chicken
Trim any fat off the chicken, and season the thighs on both sides with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per side until browned. Remove and keep warm.
- Do not wash the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste, cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the liquid cooks out about 1-2 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and the reserved chicken thighs to the skillet. Lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes to finish cooking the chicken and let the flavors to come together.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and cook until completely wilted.
- Lower the heat to low. Stir in the half and half and cook 3-5 minutes until warmed through. Don’t let the sauce come to a simmer.
Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours. Serve over pasta or on its own with a piece of crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Storing and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator: Allow the chicken and sauce to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the chicken and sauce completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Freeze for up to 2 months, and label and date the container for easy tracking.
- Reheating: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Reheat on the stovetop in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Alternatively, microwave loosely covered on medium power in 1-minute increments, stirring between intervals, until hot.
- Food Safety: Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture or foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- Chicken thighs are less likely to dry out compared to chicken breasts, even with longer cooking times. They’re versatile and forgiving—try them in these fried chicken thighs or bacon wrapped chicken thighs for delicious results.
- This recipe moves quickly at the start, so gather, measure, and prep all ingredients before cooking to make the process stress-free.
- Go easy on the salt. Ingredients like crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth already contain plenty. Adjust seasoning at the end if needed.
- A non-stick skillet helps prevent the chicken from sticking and tearing when turning. If the chicken sticks, let it cook a bit longer until it naturally releases before flipping.
Combining pantry items with fresh ingredients is a great way to put together quick dinners, even on busy weeknights. If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to try our chili cornbread casserole and artichoke chicken pasta—both made with a perfect balance of convenience ingredients, fresh produce, and proteins for delicious meals in no time.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Tomato Chicken
This creamy tomato chicken is an easy dinner that comes together quickly. In this recipe, skinless, boneless chicken thighs are cooked in a tomato sauce flavored with onions and plenty of garlic. Then it’s finished with spinach and creamy half and half.
Ingredients
- 1¼ - 1½ pound Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless and trimmed of fat (6 pieces)
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus extra if needed at the end
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion finely diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ¼ cup White Wine
- 1 (28 ounce) can Crushed Tomatoes (we used fire roasted crushed tomatoes)
- ¼ cup Chicken Broth
- 3-4 ounces Fresh Spinach
- ¾ cup Half and Half
Instructions
- Add the salt, pepper and dried oregano to a small bowl, stir to combine. Season the chicken on both sides with the prepared mix.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes until browned.
- Turn each piece cook 5 minutes until browned on both sides. (Don’t worry that the chicken is not cooked through, it will finish cooking in the sauce.)
- Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the chicken from the skillet. Place on a pan or plate and cover loosely with foil and keep warm.
- Do not wash the skillet, place it back over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for 3 minutes until they are translucent and start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir, while gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid cooks out about 1-2 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir well and add the chicken thighs back in along with any juices collected on the plate. When the sauce comes to a simmer (about 2-3 minutes), lower the heat to medium-low and cover.
- Cook the chicken for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F at the thickest part of the largest piece; use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and stir until it starts to wilt. Cook another 1-2 minutes until completely wilted.
- Lower the heat to low. Stir in the half and half and cook 3-5 minutes until warmed through. Don’t let the sauce come to a simmer.
- Taste the creamy tomato sauce and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve over pasta or on its own with a piece of crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 26gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 749mgPotassium: 890mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2236IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 3mg
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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