• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Julia's Album
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Subscribe
  • Thanksgiving Menu
  • Holiday Side Dishes
  • Thanksgiving Salads
  • All Main Courses
  • Meatless Thanksgiving Menu
  • Latest Recipes
  • Butternut squash
  • Chicken Dinners
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Subscribe
    • Thanksgiving Menu
    • Holiday Side Dishes
    • Thanksgiving Salads
    • All Main Courses
    • Meatless Thanksgiving Menu
    • Latest Recipes
    • Butternut squash
    • Chicken Dinners
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Published: Feb 01, 2018 / 274 Comments

    239.4K shares
    • Facebook3.9K
    Recipe Print
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce - great idea for a quick weeknight meal!    Boneless skinless chicken thighs are seared to perfection and served in a creamy tomato basil sauce with spinach, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.   Easy dinner that a whole family will love!

    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

     

    As I've been shopping at my local grocery store, I realized that I hardly have any recipes with boneless skinless chicken thighs.  Instead, I do have lots of recipes with bone-in skin-on chicken thighs.  I decided to fix that small problem immediately, so I bought them right away and made these delicious skillet chicken thighs the next day. So glad I did! It's such a great cut of chicken meat and it cooks so quickly, this chicken dish took me only 30 minutes to make.  Everything is cooked in a skillet on the stove top - no extra pans, just one skillet.   So easy to make, minimal clean-up!

    Skillet Chicken Thighs, Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce, spinach recipes, how to cook skinless boneless chicken thighs

    Creamy tomato basil sauce with fresh spinach is perfect for these skillet chicken thighs.  So much flavor in one dish!

    Ingredients you need to make these easy skillet chicken thighs:

    olive oil
    1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
    1 can tomato sauce
    ½ cup heavy cream
    garlic
    fresh spinach
    fresh basil
    grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

    Skillet Chicken Thighs, Creamy Tomato Sauce, tomato basil chicken thighs, how to cook chicken thighs

    How long does it take to cook boneless skinless chicken thighs?

    They cook easy and fast.  First, I seared the chicken thighs for 5 minutes on one side in the skillet on medium heat.  Then, I flipped them and seared for 5 more minutes on the other side on medium heat.  Next,  I cooked them in the creamy tomato basil sauce for about 5 or 10 more minutes and they were done!  Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through.

    best chicken thighs, best skinless boneless chicken thigh recipes

    How to make skillet chicken thighs (step-by-step photos):

    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet, and cook boneless skinless chicken thighs (seasoned with salt and pepper) on one side for 5 minutes:
    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Flip the chicken thighs to the other side and cook for 5 more minutes:
    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Remove the chicken, add tomato sauce, minced garlic, and heavy cream.  Stir to combine.  Add spinach and basil.
    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Cook the sauce until the spinach wilts.  Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, if needed.

    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Add the cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs back to the skillet, reheat the sauce with the chicken in it.  Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink in the center.

    Skillet Chicken Thighs, how do you cook skinless boneless chicken thighs, skinless boneless chicken thighs recipes

    Spoon the sauce over the cooked chicken.
    best chicken thighs, how to cook chicken thighs, easy skinless boneless chicken thighs

    What is a good side dish for chicken thighs?

    These will go great over simple pasta. Or, serve with roasted potatoes, or creamy mashed potatoes.  Other great side dish ideas are steamed asparagus, cooked spinach, or cooked Swiss chard.

    If you enjoyed this skillet chicken thighs, you might like these recipes:

    Chicken Thighs with Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Sauce

    Bacon Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

    best chicken thighs, how to cook chicken thighs, creamy tomato basil sauce
    4.77 from 422 votes

    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce

    Boneless skinless chicken thighs smothered in an easy-to-make creamy tomato basil and spinach sauce.  The whole recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish!  
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 553 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1.5 lb chicken thighs , boneless skinless
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 8 oz tomato sauce
    • 2 garlic cloves , minced
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 4 oz fresh spinach
    • 4 leaves fresh basil (or use ¼ teaspoon dried basil)

    For serving:

    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese , grated

    Instructions 

    How to cook boneless skinless chicken thighs in a skillet:

    • In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium heat.  Season boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Add them top side down to the hot skillet.  Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, until the top side is nicely seared.  
    • Flip over to the other side and sear for 5 more minutes on medium heat.
    • Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.

    How to make creamy tomato basil sauce:

    • To the same, now empty skillet, add tomato sauce, minced garlic, heavy cream.  Bring to boil and stir. 
    • Reduce heat to low simmer.  Add fresh spinach and fresh basil.  Stir until spinach wilts and reduces in volume.  
    • Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
    • Add back cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs, increase heat to medium.  Reheat the chicken thighs in the skillet with the sauce and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink in the center.  
    • To serve, spoon the sauce over the boneless skinless chicken thighs and top with grated Parmesan cheese. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    553
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    44
    g
    68
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    16
    g
    100
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    211
    mg
    70
    %
    Sodium
     
    852
    mg
    37
    %
    Potassium
     
    716
    mg
    20
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    6
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    32
    g
    64
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3550
    IU
    71
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    12.4
    mg
    15
    %
    Calcium
     
    145
    mg
    15
    %
    Iron
     
    2.5
    mg
    14
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella
    Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese »
    239.4K shares
    • Facebook3.9K

    Please share your comment and Star Rating in the comments section below.

    I appreciate your feedback!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maggie

      October 27, 2023 at 12:47 am

      I have not tried it yet but looks lovely.
      Is there any way one can use natural yoguart instead of cream or will it ruin the whole affect?

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 27, 2023 at 2:23 pm

        Maggie, I've never tried using yogurt in a recipe like this but I read a lot of comments on my site where people did use yogurt in a similar recipe and liked it. So, I am not sure. You can try adding yogurt off heat, when the sauce is warm, without boiling the sauce because that will make yogurt separate, I think. 🙂 Enjoy! 🙂 Let me know if you try it this way!

        Reply
    2. Joe

      October 22, 2023 at 10:47 pm

      Great recipe that the family raved about. I made 10 pieces of thighs that I used two large cast iron skillets to cook in. I used fresh tomatoes, basil and rosemary (1 stem in each skillet) from our garden. I added mushrooms and zucchini. So easy to make and so delicious. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 23, 2023 at 1:04 pm

        Joe, thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. I love the addition of mushrooms and zucchini! ❤️ Homegrown herbs are the best!

        Reply
    3. Claire

      October 22, 2023 at 8:48 pm

      Is there a way to make this with less cream for someone with dairy sensitivity?

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 22, 2023 at 9:52 pm

        Claire, you can skip the heavy cream and use unsweetened coconut milk instead.

        Reply
    4. Mike

      September 23, 2023 at 12:30 am

      I made this tonight using homemade tomato sauce (amped up with a bit of red wine), more garlic and only basil (since I didn't have any spinach on hand). I reduced the sauce by about half, and it was as delicious as it was simple and easy to make!!

      Reply
    5. Alice Redmond

      August 22, 2023 at 1:12 pm

      Can I keep the leftovers for lunch tomorrow

      Reply
    6. Mandy verney

      August 22, 2023 at 7:21 am

      Could I use tomato soup instead of tomato sauce?

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I founded this website in 2012. I focus mostly on savory recipes (protein-based main dishes, pasta, salads) and seasonal ingredients (with lots of vegetables and fruits). Many of my recipes are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals. Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

    2023 Thanksgiving Menu (Our Best 50 Holiday Recipes)

    Be sure to check out my 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu) which includes everything: Fall-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu features proven, tried, and true Thanksgiving dishes that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes since 2012).

    Connect with Julia on Social Media:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    Get Julia's new recipes by e-mail:
    Subscribe by E-mail

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy and Disclosure

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Affiliate Disclosure

    About

    • About
    • Featured On
    • Contact Me

    Connect on Social Media

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Copyright © 2023 JuliasAlbum.com

    Site Design: Foodie Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.