This One Dish Tomato Chicken Bake is prepared with flavorful chicken breasts baked on a bed of tomatoes and covered in cheese! It makes for a one-pan chicken dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Tomato Chicken Bake
This Tomato Chicken Bake is a straightforward one-pan wonder. The tomatoes serve as a moist base, ensuring the chicken remains juicy and tender throughout the cooking process. Paired with aromatic seasonings and topped with a layer of melted gruyere cheese, this dish is not just about the taste but also about the melty textures. The crunch of the onions, the creaminess of the cheese, and the tenderness of the chicken make it a dish that’s sure to make everyone happy, kids included.
What truly stands out in this Chicken Bake with tomatoes isn’t just its flavor, but also its ease of preparation. You get the essence of a slow-cooked meal with a fraction of the time and effort. As the chicken simmers and bakes within the mixture, it absorbs the flavors of the garlic, onions, and herbs, resulting in a moist and delicious bite every time.
Why This Recipe Works
- Balanced Meal: It provides a good balance of protein from the chicken, vitamins from the tomatoes, and fats from the cheese and olive oil.
- Customizable: It’s easy to adjust the seasoning or add other ingredients based on personal preference.
- Tried and True Ingredients: Utilizing staple kitchen ingredients means there’s no need for last-minute grocery store trips.
Ingredients For Tomato Chicken Bake
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Diced Tomatoes provide a juicy and tangy base for the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion & Garlic
- Dried Oregano, Fresh Parsley, & Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Gruyere Cheese adds a creamy and slightly nutty flavor, complementing the tang of the tomatoes and the savory chicken.
How To Bake Chicken With Tomatoes
Whether you’re planning a casual family dinner or seeking a reliable dish for unexpected guests, this Tomato Chicken Bake won’t disappoint.
- Preparation: Preheat the to 400˚F oven and lightly grease a baking dish.
- Mixing the Base: Combine diced tomatoes, olive oil, chopped onions, minced garlic, seasonings, and fresh parsley in a bowl.
- Layering the Dish: Transfer the tomato mixture to the baking dish. Season the chicken breasts and place them atop the mixture, ensuring they’re nestled in for flavor absorption.
- Baking: Cook in the preheated oven until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the tomato mixture bubbles.
- Adding Cheese: Sprinkle gruyere cheese over the chicken and bake just long enough for the cheese to melt.
Tips For The Best Tomato Chicken Bake
- Chicken Thickness: If your chicken breasts are very thick, consider pounding them to an even thickness for even cooking.
- Chicken Options: I use chicken breasts for this recipe, however, you can also try this with chicken thighs, but you will need to adjust the cooking time.
- Fresh Tomatoes: While canned tomatoes work great, you can swap in fresh diced tomatoes, too.
- Cheese Variation: Gruyere offers a creamy texture and flavor, but feel free to experiment with other cheeses like mozzarella, provolone, or even feta.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs can be a great substitute for dried ones if they’re available. For instance, fresh oregano or basil could be used instead of dried.
- Let it Rest: After baking, allow the dish to rest for a few minutes. This lets the juices redistribute, ensuring that your chicken remains moist.
- Searing Option: For an added layer of flavor, consider searing the chicken briefly in a hot skillet before placing it in the baking dish. This can add a golden crust to the chicken and elevate its flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- This dish pairs wonderfully with crusty bread, which can soak up the delicious tomato sauce.
- Alternatively, a light tabbouleh salad or some sauteed bok choy can complete the meal.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigeration: Place the leftovers in airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: Transfer the cooled dish to freezer-safe containers, label it with the date and contents, and store it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
- Reheat the leftovers in a preheated oven until warmed through. If frozen, it’s best to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Tomato Chicken Recipes
- Southwestern Chicken Bread Boats
- One Skillet BLT Pasta
- Chicken in Tomato Sauce
- Mozzarella Chicken in Tomato Sauce
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce Chicken
ENJOY!
One Dish Chicken Bake
Flavorful chicken baked with tomatoes and covered in cheese makes for a one-dish dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Servings : 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup grated gruyere cheese
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, Italian seasoning and fresh parsley in a mixing bowl; toss to combine. Transfer the tomato mixture to the baking dish. (You can also combine the ingredients inside the baking dish).
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and fresh ground pepper and arrange the chicken on top of the tomatoes; make sure that the chicken is nestled down in the tomatoes so it simmers in the sauce while it cooks.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until the tomato sauce bubbles and the chicken is cooked through. Chicken is done when its internal temperature reaches 165˚F degrees.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chicken; bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Chicken Thickness: For even cooking, pound thicker chicken breasts to an even thickness. This promotes even cooking and ensures every bite is tender and flavorful.
- Chicken Varieties: While the recipe uses chicken breasts, chicken thighs are a good option; adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Tomatoes: Swap canned tomatoes for fresh diced ones if preferred.
- Cheese Choices: Gruyere is creamy and flavorful, but mozzarella, provolone, or feta are great alternatives.
- Herb Alternatives: Use fresh herbs, like oregano or basil, instead of using dried ones.
- Resting: After cooking, let the chicken rest to retain juiciness.
- Searing: Sear the chicken in a skillet before baking. This can add a browned crust to the chicken and elevate its flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 294 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8 g | Protein: 33 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Cholesterol: 100 mg | Sodium: 462 mg | Potassium: 696 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 579 IU | Vitamin C: 16 mg | Calcium: 315 mg | Iron: 2 mg | Net Carbs: 6 g
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!
Love this recipe have made it several times. I am making it tonight for a family that only likes dark meat. Has anyone ever made it with chicken thighs? I would think it will cook a bit faster?
Hi! 👋
The chicken thighs may take a few minutes longer, but that also depends on the size and if you’re using bone-in or boneless chicken thighs. The best way to check for doneness is to use an instant-read meat thermometer and pull the chicken out of the oven when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
This is a relatively simple recipe, but works well and is tasty. I’m always looking for some recipe inspiration and this was one I was saving for a couple of weeks. I switched out some of the herbs based on what I had on hand, but we liked it. You really can’t go wrong with the ingredients and method. We watch our salt intake and I did not add any salt and it had plenty of flavor. I did season the chicken with some garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and Italian seasoning. This is a winner!
I am very glad you and your family loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This looks so good in the recipe, but was a watery mess with rubbery chicken. By submerging the chicken in the broth, you are boiling, not baking the chicken.
Did you drain the tomatoes? Maybe trying adding diced fresh tomatoes instead.
I’m 27 just made this over some super green spaghetti and was so good I will be making it again forsure. The chicken was so juicy and tender, great flavors from the garlic and onion. Loved it!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
I have the same question posted by Sandy back in 2018 but it doesn’t appear to have been answered: The recipe calls for draining the tomatoes but in the video it clearly looks like you are pouring in the entire can- juice and all. Please do clarify. This recipe (and all its possible variations) looks amazing!
Hi! 👋
It really doesn’t make that big of a difference if you drain or pour them in with the juice, as long as the juice is no more than around 1/4 of a cup, give or take.
Delicioso.! Going to make it for the 2nd time today for the main component of freezer meals for my mama. Will change by adding spinach (she needs iron). After it bakes, I’ll remove the chicken and cut it in smaller pieces (easier for her). Then I’ll stir it all back together, top with cheese and bake a few more minutes. If I wanted to stretch it, I think I could add some rice.
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this last night and it was lovely and the fact that it was so quick and easy to make too, served it with cheesey garlic bread, thought about serving it with pasta to soak up the “juices” as someone mentioned it being too watery, mine certainly wasn´t like that at all and not bland either as someone said, I will defenately make this again for when I have little time or simply too tired or lazy to cook as it takes such little effort, thank you for sharing, this one has gone in my “to keep” folder 🙂
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made this last night and definitely not something I would make again. I cooked the onions in a little olive oil than put in tomatoes. Very bland even tried to add additional seasoning but still not tasty. Photo looked delicious & excited to try😫.
Hi!
Sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. When I find that my food is a bit bland, I just add a little more salt and that almost always fixes it.
Bonnie, the blandness of the food is not the authors fault. They say to season with salt and pepper to taste. You should add more seasoning, not blame the author. Especially when you admit to doing at least one step differently: cooking the onions beforehand. Who knows how many other things you did differently 🤷♀️ why take time out of your day to bash someone’s work, I will never understand 🤦♀️
Love this recipe! Instead of all the ingredients I will use a jar of spaghetti sauce sometimes too. Works great!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Seems like you made something completely different than the recipe. Why bother rating it?
This recipe is perfect. One-Dish-Chicken Bake is one of the best dinners I’ve made in months. It was so good that I didn’t let anyone in my family have leftovers the next day because I wanted them all for myself (which I never do!), lol! I am thrilled to have found a perfect recipe. No tweaks are necessary, and the instructions are crystal clear. Thank you!!!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Can we use chicken thighs instead? Thanks
I have done this recipe with chicken tights and it turns out great!
Happy to hear that! I am glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
If I were to do this in a slow cooker, how much tome do you think I would need?
What’s a good side you could pair this with?!
Hi! How about pasta, or a side of roasted veggies like Brussel sprouts or asparagus.
Here’s some links so you can grab the recipes, if you like:
https://diethood.com/15-minute-fettuccine-with-spinach-and-goat-cheese/
https://diethood.com/oven-roasted-brussels-sprouts/
https://diethood.com/oven-roasted-asparagus/
I hope this helps. 🙂
I would give this 2 stars. Followed the recipe exactly. I am a very experienced cook and was looking for a low carb dinner. This was just okay…edible. Would not make again. This is a recipe for beginners
Sandra, if you are a very experienced cook as you say you are, you should have known from the recipe ingredients that you wouldn’t enjoy it. You could have added spices and flavorings more to your liking.
And the comment about recipe for beginners is just unnecessary, everyone has to start learning some where and from someone who is willing to teach them, not down grade their efforts.
I tried this recipe this past weekend and it was delicious !!! I only had a can of Italian Tomatoes so I used this with some Parmesan Cheese. It turned out so good – tasted like lasagna!!!
Will definitely be using this recipe more often and will change it up some more. Maybe with Mexican flavor next time.
Any modifications if using frozen chicken breast?
Am I safe freezing left overs? Or am I better just making it for one?
Hi!
Yep, you can definitely freeze it. Just make sure it’s cooled down completely before putting it in a freezer bag. It should stay good for at least 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
This was a HUGE hit at our house last night! All three kids and my hubby loved it and were asking for more. Our 8 year old son, who claims he doesn’t like tomatoes, was literally eating the cooked tomato mixture with a spoon! Thank you!
In the video, it shows adding only Italian seasoning, no oregano, but the printed recipe says to add 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Can you tell me which is correct? I’ve made the dish twice. The first time was delish. The second time I thought the oregano was overpowering. I can’t remember if I made the first time by watching the video or following the written directions. I also used Costco chicken breasts the first time and Giant’s Nature’s Promise chicken breasts the second. Don’t know which made the difference. Hope you can clarify for me. Thanks in advance. PS: I shared with my Weight Watcher group!
Just made this tonite. Seasonings used instead of the Italian season and oregano were ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. I also used mozzarella and a little blended Italian cheese and added jalapeno and fresh mushrooms, along with canned tomatoes. My only issue was with the liquidity of the tomatoes even after draining. So I might add a little corn starch like another reply mentioned. Will definitely make again and play around with the ingredients.
I added diced ham to the Tomato mixture. Served it with white rice( Uncle Ben’s substituting the water for chicken stock, cup and 1/4 of liquid to one cup of rice with 1 1/1 tablespoons of butter) and then served it over sauteed spinach with butter salt and pepper. Just be careful what kind of ham use make sure it’s not too salty. The recipe was outstanding on its own but I think my additions made one heck of a difference. Good luck fellow home kitchen chefs. Let me know what you think
This was very good…
I didn’t use Italian seasoning, I didn’t have any so I added some extra maranara sauce that I had on hand. Added some chopped up canned mushrooms. Used stewed tomaotes that had flavouring and used all the liquid. I skipped the olive oil since it was so liquidy and it would only add olive flavor.
Used chedder cheese and a mexican cheese and just added to the top when I took it out. I forgot to add it on the last few minutes and the chicken was already done.
Oh and I had reheated some rice for my son and I just put this chicken and extra sauce over that. Nummy!!!
The only thing I would change is to fry the onions before baking. They had a crunch to them.
Enjoy!!!
This looks delicious. Wondering what you all recommend as a good side to go along with it.
This was a big hit for the whole family. I used mozzarella’abd cheddar mix for extra flavor..
In the video, the finished product looks a little “greasy” to me so am wondering about omitting the olive oil. I did not see any comments that mention it as being an issue so maybe I am wrong. Any thoughts?
Made it last week and making it again tomorrow! It was fantastic, easy to make, the overall presentation of the dish was screaming “ devour me”. I will probably add some Cypriot olives to see how thay goes. I couldn’t believe how soft, tender and juicy they actually came out!
What size chicken breasts did you use?
Hi!
About 4-ounces per chicken breast.
I will be making this tomorrow and looking forward to see how it turns out. In mine, I will be cooking it in my cast iron skillet and will add green chilies and fresh basil. Once it’s done cooking, I will also add corn startch to thicken the sauce and will serve it all over rice.
I will try the tomatoes, i make a dish like this only using marinara sauce and sometimes pizza sauce with different cheeses that go with the sauce. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Delicious looking dish. And those bread boats too.
I doubled the recipe and added extra diced tomatoes. I used 2 packs of Aged Swiss Cheese slices, chopped finely in food processor. *This tastes like Napoleon Chicken, but is much faster to make! Great recipe.
Made this a few weeks ago, and it was great! I used a provolone/mozzarella blend and only about half the onion. Served it over quinoa cooked with garlic. I’m making it again tonight and I’m going to try adding some mushrooms. Thanks for the recipe!
Would you recommend covering this as it bakes, or bake it uncovered?
Uncovered. If you cover it, you’ll trap any steam and make it soupier than designed.
This looks delicious! Can you suggest a side to go with this?
I made garlic green beans, and it worked well.
How do I print the recipe?
Hi! If you scroll down to the recipe, you will see the “print” button underneath the small picture that sits within the recipe box, on the right hand side.
Would like to print your One Dish Chicken Bake if possible let me know how.
Thank you
Marilyn Petitto
Can you prepare the dish ahead of time and keep it in the fridge and bake it later that day?
Hi! Yes, but place the chicken on top when you are ready to bake it. Also, you may want to drain the tomato-mixture just a little before placing the chicken on top … after sitting around in the baking dish for a while, there might be some extra juice. Hope that helps! 🙂
Can this delish dish be made in a crockpot?
Looks delish. can this be made im a crockpot?
My family loved this! I used spinach instead of onions. Will definitely make this again!!!!!
If I do 5 instead of 4 should I cook for longer and add more tomatoes/ ingredients? Cooking tonight! Please let me know
Hi! I don’t think it should take longer to cook, and if you want to add more tomatoes and onions, go right ahead. It will turn out great. If you want to make sure the chicken is cooked through, you can check it with a meat thermometer – chicken is done at 165F. I hope this helps! 🙂
Made it. Delicious. My busband loved it. So easy. I used 6 cheese Iltalian cheese. I don’t think it matters what kind of cheese you use. It’s a keeper!
At the top of the recipe, it says cook for 25 mins. In the body of the recipe, it says 35. Which is correct? Also, do you pour olive oil over the chicken before baking like the video shows?
Hi! Definitely 35 minutes. The 25 is a typo – thank you very much for letting me know!
I did do the 35. It was outstanding. I used two ginormous chicken breasts because our stores have never heard of a 1 pound chicken breast, and it was delicious! Thank you for the quick reply, and for the recipe!
Can I used regular tomatoes?
Hi! Yes, absolutely you can. A couple of big tomatoes chopped, maybe even three, should be enough.
This dish was absolutely amazing. The only change I made was mozzarella cheese!
I am very confused…the instructions say to cook at 400 degrees but the comments mention cooking under the broiler. Please clarify!
Hi! So, the dish can be made under the broiler, but because readers had so many different comments on the different temps of their own broilers, I decided to go ahead and change the recipe to oven-only. 🙂
Thank you!!!
One Dish Chichen Bake made it tonight and it was delicious its a keeper. I didn’t have chicken breast so I used skinless chicken thighs and it turn out great, thank you for sharing the recipe, I will diffently make this dish again.
I am making this tonight with ricotta and cottage cheese mix.
Made this today it came out delicious, will be making this again.
I see in comments to broil- not in recipe?!
gouda cheese would work…right? I don’t have any swiss but have some gouda in the fridge? Trying to avoid going to the store 🙂
I’d use any cheese you have and enjoy.
Can this dish be baked with frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts? If so, what modifications are needed in the instructions?
Hi Katerina!
This recipe looks amazing, and I’m excited to try it. I have two questions about broiling:
1. First, some recipes that call for broiled food say to leave the oven door open a tad while it broils. Did you do that for this recipe, or do you close the oven while the food broils?
2. Does it make a difference if you use the top or bottom rack, or how high the rack is in the oven?
Thanks so much!
Hi Becky! For most cooking and/or roasting, I always position the rack in the middle of the oven, and no, I did not keep the oven door open at all. It was closed the entire time. Hope that helps! 🙂 Have a great Sunday!
Made this tonight- turned out wonderfully. Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely make it again.
I live in a rural area and don’t have access to gruyere cheese. Any suggestions for a substitution?
Hi Andrea! How about Swiss Cheese?
Swiss Cheese works very nicely in this recipe.
I used a grated nacho mix and it turned out great! (I don’t have a clue what gruyere cheese is).
What temperature for cooking this dish, for how long, do you leave the dish covered or uncovered recipe is missing information
Hi Lisette! You have to set your oven to “Broil”; that is how this particular dish is cooked. Do you have a “Broil” setting on your oven? And it stays uncovered. I hope this helps! Let me know.
Hi!
To further the question, I have “high” and “low” settings fro my broiler. Which would you use?
Hi Sara! Oh, I should have mentioned that in the recipe box! Thank YOU! Set the broiler to High. I’ll update the recipe with that info.
Could you bake this instead of broiling? What temperature and how long?
One dish meals are the best! I love how cheesy and saucy this chicken bake looks. I’m sure my family would love it!
This might be the prettiest chicken dish I’ve ever seen! It looks like pure comfort food!
These pictures are making me feel seriously hungry right now! I love one dish meals; this has to happen in our house SOON!
Perfection Kate! You are the QUEEN of one dish recipes!
One dish meals like this are the best! So yummy and so little cleanup. Sounds like the perfect situation to me! 😀
Perfect easy dinner! This is awesome, Katerina! Definitely trying it! 🙂
Woah! I am coming over for dinner! This looks incredible!
Omg, this looks amazing!! The vegetarian in me is somewhat betraying myself, haha. But my family will love this!
This is a staple in our house during the cold winter months. We make a version of this each weekend.
I just made it. It tastes awesome and quick! Great recipe!
YAY! I’m so happy you like it! Thank YOU! 😀
I don’t understand how the diced tomatoes will cook when the chicken is on top and it is broiled. Please answer, I would love to make this. Seems like the tomatoes should be pre cooked a little.
Hi Patricia!! The recipe calls for diced canned tomatoes which are already steamed and peeled. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions! 🙂
Hi, the recipe calls for draining the tomatoes but in the video it clearly looks like you are pouring in the entire can- juice and all. Please clarify
WOW. This looks delicious Katerina! I love that it’s made in one dish too – can’t wait to make some myself!
This looks scrumptious.