One Dish Chicken Bake Recipe
Updated Aug 25, 2023
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This one-dish cheesy chicken tomato bake is prepared with flavorful chicken breasts baked on a bed of tomatoes, covered in melty cheese. It’s simple to make, yet super tasty and makes for a one-pan chicken dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Today’s chicken bake is like a cross between my baked chicken parmesan and chicken in tomato sauce recipes. A bed of savory tomato sauce keeps the chicken juicy, while the layer of melty Gruyère cheese on top locks in the flavor. My favorite part? How easy it is to make. This chicken tomato bake tastes like it’s been slow-cooked for hours, but it’s quick to prepare and bakes in under an hour.
As the chicken bakes, it absorbs all the flavors from the garlic and herbs. The result is an easy weeknight meal that’s packed with flavor!
Why This Tomato Chicken Bake Works
- All in one. This chicken tomato bake has everything I look for in a cozy dinner: juicy protein, veggies, and cheese! Just add a side of rice or garlic bread.
- Pantry staples. This recipe makes use of kitchen staples. No last-minute trips to the store!
- Make it yours. It’s easy to adjust the seasonings and ingredients based on personal preference and what you have in the fridge.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe
This is the short list of ingredients you’ll need to round up for this chicken bake recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe amounts.
- Chicken – I make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can use thighs or even bone-in chicken, keeping in mind that the cooking times may vary a bit.
- Diced Tomatoes – Provide a juicy and tangy base for the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Or your choice of cooking oil.
- Onion and Garlic – Yellow or white onion, and freshly minced garlic.
- Seasonings – You’ll need dried oregano, fresh parsley, and Italian seasoning in addition to freshly cracked pepper and salt.
- Gruyère Cheese – Adds a creamy and slightly nutty flavor. You could swap it with another melty cheese, like mozzarella, provolone, Gouda, or cheddar.
Tips For the Best Chicken Bake
- Get the chicken to an even thickness. If your chicken breasts are very thick, consider pounding them to an even thickness for even cooking.
- Fresh tomatoes. While canned tomatoes work great, you can swap in fresh diced tomatoes, too.
- Use fresh 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. You’ll need about three times the amount of fresh herbs as dried, since they aren’t as concentrated.
- Rest the chicken. After baking, allow the dish to rest for a few minutes. This lets the juices redistribute, ensuring that your chicken remains moist.
- Sear the chicken for more flavor. 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
- Bread: This dish pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or focaccia to soak up the delicious tomato sauce.
- Salad and veggies: Try a light tabbouleh salad or some sautéed bok choy to complete the meal.
- Rice: Pair this cheesy chicken tomato bake with a bed of fluffy white rice, lemon rice, or brown rice pilaf.
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One Dish Chicken Tomato Bake
Flavorful chicken baked with tomatoes and covered in cheese makes for a one-dish dinner the whole family loves! This cheesy chicken tomato bake is ready in under an hour with easy ingredients.
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
- Prepare to bake. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make the tomato base. 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).
- Add the chicken. 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. 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.
- Add cheese. 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: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 579IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 2mg
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.
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How To Make This Chicken Tomato Bake
Whether I’m planning a casual family dinner or cooking for friends, this one-dish chicken bake comes together in 5 minutes and never disappoints. Here are the steps.
- Prepare to bake. While the oven preheats to 400ºF, grease your baking dish.
- Make the tomato base. Meanwhile, combine diced tomatoes, olive oil, chopped onions, minced garlic, seasonings, and fresh parsley to make the sauce.
- Assemble. Transfer the tomato mixture to the baking dish. Then, season the chicken and nestle it into the sauce.
- Bake. Bake the chicken until it’s thoroughly cooked and the tomato mixture bubbles. You can test that the chicken has reached 165ºF using an instant-read thermometer.
- Add the cheese. Lastly, sprinkle shredded cheese over the chicken and return it to the oven. Bake just long enough for the cheese to melt. Once the chicken rests for 5-10 minutes, you’re ready to serve!
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Place the leftovers in airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze. Transfer the cooled chicken tomato bake to freezer-safe containers, label it with the date and contents, and store it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
- Reheat. Warm leftovers in a preheated oven until hot throughout. If frozen, it’s best to thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
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.