On the hunt for ways to use up some fresh garden tomatoes? Then look no further than this Tomato Basil Chicken recipe. It’s one of my favorite low carb, high protein meals. Especially in late summer when fresh tomatoes and basil are at their finest!
I grow my own tomatoes, and every year around this time, it’s a veritable tomato explosion. Ripe, red, and so incredibly juicy and sweet. They all seem to start ripening at once, so I need all the healthy tomato recipes I can get.
I always roast a bunch and freeze them for Keto Tomato Soup. And I like to can my own tomato sauce for recipes like Shrimp Creole or Keto Meatball Casserole.
And goodness knows that tomato and basil go together like… well, like tomato and basil! So it was time to create a delicious skillet dinner that made the most of those wonderful flavors.
Why you must try this recipe
This recipe for Tomato Basil Chicken is so flavorful, you might be tempted to drink the sauce. I’ve been known to stand there, spooning it into my mouth right from the pan.
And what’s so lovely about this meal is that is comes together quickly and easily, with only 7 ingredients. When you use produce at the peak of freshness, you really have no need of extra flavors or fancy techniques.
It’s simple enough for a weeknight meal, but delicious enough to serve to guests. And with 31g of protein and only 4g carbs per serving, you know you’re doing your body good.
Reader Reviews
“My husband raved about this dinner– it was nice to use some fresh basil from the garden. We took Carolyn’s advice on having it with the Grilled Vegetable Salad. This combo will be a top-10 favorite this Summer!” — Lee
“Absolutely delicious and a great way to use up some of my summer bounty! I’ve made it a few times and will definitely continue to do so. I cannot imagine getting tired of eating it. It’s so bright, fresh and delicious!” — Darcy M.
“Oh The Flavor!! This was fantastic – so simple but the fresh basil really elevates it. This is definitely going in the rotation! Thank you!” — Tena S.
Ingredients needed
- Diced fresh tomatoes: I highly recommend fresh garden tomatoes for the best flavor. But if you simply can’t access them, you can make this with canned tomatoes. Be sure to drain off the liquid before you blend them up.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: You can use boneless chicken breasts, but they are quite large and take longer to cook through. I recommend cutting them in into thinner cutlets by slicing through the middle.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic will give this dish the best flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream: To make this dairy free, you can use canned coconut cream (the thick part from the top of the can) instead.
- Fresh basil: Please do not use dried basil in this recipe! If necessary, you can get use some of the frozen basil cubes sold in some stores. But this is really best with fresh garden basil.
- Finely grated parmesan: I highly recommend a good Parmigiano Reggiano for the tangy contrast it provides with the sweet tomatoes. To make this dairy free, you can use nutritional yeast instead.
- Pantry staples: Avocado oil or olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step by Step Directions
1. Prep the tomatoes: Make sure to remove as much of the seeds (and the liquid from the seed pockets) from the tomatoes as you can. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the chicken: Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
4. Stir in the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the cream and basil.
5. Warm the chicken through: Add the chicken back int to heat through, about 2 minutes. Top with grated parmesan.
Tips for Success
Seed the tomatoes. The seed pockets of tomatoes contain a great deal of liquid. By removing the seeds and the associated liquid, the sauce will be thicker and required less cooking. Simply cut the tomatoes into sections and run your fingers down the seed pockets to push them out. Then you can dice them nicely after that.
Blend the tomatoes. Blending up the tomatoes first helps break them down so you can get dinner on the table that much faster.
Sear the chicken. Get the oil nice and hot, and brown the chicken thighs on both sides. Make sure they are cooked through and not showing any pink before you remove them from the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tomatoes sometimes get a bad rap when it comes to the keto diet, but they are actually quite low in carbs and high in fiber. The confusion seems to stem from the fact that many processed tomato products like sauce include added sugars. Additionally, tomato paste is cooked down so much that it concentrates the natural sugars and should be uses sparingly.
But fresh tomatoes are an excellent choice. A medium red tomato has only 4.8g of carbs, and 1.5g of fiber. And they contain plenty of antioxidants and Vitamin C. Since this creamy Tomato Basil Chicken uses fresh tomatoes, it makes the most of all that wonderful nutrition.
This easy keto dinner recipe has 4.0g of carbs and 0.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.1g net carbs per serving.
I didn’t try but I can’t see why not. Both cooked chicken and tomato sauce freeze well. I’d leave off the Parmesan until you’re ready to serve.
What to serve with Tomato Basil Chicken?
Looking for some delicious keto sides to round out your meal? Here are a few of my favorites.
Tomato Basil Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (372.5 g) diced fresh tomatoes, seeds and liquid removed
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (119 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (6 g) chopped fresh basil, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup (25 g) Finely grated parmesan
Instructions
- Make sure to remove as much of the seeds (and the liquid from the seed pockets) from the tomatoes as you can. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the cream and basil.
- Add the chicken back int to heat through, about 2 minutes. Top with grated parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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My husband raved about this dinner– it was nice to use some fresh basil from the garden. We took Carolyn’s advice on having it with the Grilled Vegetable Salad. This combo will be a top-10 favorite this Summer!
I am so glad!
I have home grown fresh canned tomatoes. Will these work if I drain them? They are very watery. I have been trying to find ways to use them since going keto.
I think so. You can always cook it down further before adding anything else, to make it thicker.
This is legit SOOOO good and SO easy! We made this as written, other than leaving the tomatoes with seeds and all, and it still tasted absolutely deeeelicious 🙂 What a perfect weeknight meal, so quick to put together and packs such a fabulous punch with so few ingredients! Totally love it, we’ll definitely be making this often.. thank you so much, Carolyn, this really hit the spot.
This recipe is delicious!! The only thing different I did was use canned whole tomatoes. I drained them and got the seeds out. Then I roasted them. I did everything else according to the recipe. A nice and easy dish Thank you Carolyn!
GLad you enjoyed it!
O M G! So delicious, it moved me to tears. T_T
My cast iron is not huge, so I cooked the chicken in two batches. The “drippings”, leftover in the pan after plating the chicken, looked absolutely divine. The fresh tomato puree, fresh chopped basil and the cream were so pretty in the pan. I cut the chicken up into strips before reincorporating back them into the pan. I doubled the parmigiana, because, why not? Anyhow, I could go on and on… Thank you Carolyn, it turned out beautiful, as always.
So glad you enjoyed it that much!
This chicken dish is quick, easy and very flavorful! Even though I left out the Parmesan cheese by mistake, ????♀️ it was great! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Two thumbs up!
We loved this tonight! Thank you!
Looks delicious. Is there a dairy free substitute for the whipping crème that would work?
Coconut cream.
This is a fantastic recipe. Added fresh mushrooms and minced onions. Substituted 1 tablespoon of dried basil for the fresh. Beverly Served over cauliflower rice and a garden salad. Easy, easy, easy.
Just made this diner. So easy to delicious even with canned tomatoes.
Oh The Flavor!! This was fantastic – so simple but the fresh basil really elevates it. This is definitely going in the rotation! Thank you!
Just made this wonderful dish tonight, it was fabulous, such flavor. My first bite I thought to myself “wow, like something you would get in a better/ favorite restaurant “. Took a picture but don’t know how to
Upload!!
Anyway Carolyn, thanks sir another excellent recipe, and rather quick and easy too.
So glad you liked it!
Can this be made in the instant pot, adding cream and basil after cooking chicken and boiling down tomatoes?
Probably but I will warn you that Instant Pots force so much moisture out of meat, it may end up a bit soupy.
What is the recipe for the eggplant?
What recipe for eggplant? This is a chicken recipe.
There’s a link in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section to the grilled zucchini recipe 🙂
I’m going to try this with chicken breast, since my hubby doesn’t like thighs????
So quick easy and yummy, I added a sprinkle of chilli flakes served it over palm of heart rice