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Pan-Seared Balsamic Chicken with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Juicy balsamic chicken with a sweet-tangy sauce and jammy blistered tomatoes — restaurant flavor with one-pan convenience.

Time: 45 minutes
Equipment: large oven-safe skillet, small bowl or measuring cup
Servings: 4

Sliced seasoned chicken breast in a skillet with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil garnish.

Blistered Tomatoes = Weeknight Chicken Upgrade

This balsamic chicken with blistered tomatoes tastes like an Italian bistro dish but comes together in one pan in under an hour. A simple pan sauce made with balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, and a touch of butter becomes deeply flavorful when combined with blistered tomatoes that burst and sweeten in the oven.

It’s the kind of meal that benefits from warm crusty bread to soak up the sauce — definitely set bread on the table.

What makes it special:

  • Golden seared chicken: Searing on the stovetop builds a flavorful crust before finishing the chicken in the oven.
  • Simple, flavorful sauce: Balsamic vinegar, honey and Dijon create a balanced sweet-and-tangy pan sauce with garlic for depth.
  • Jammy blistered tomatoes: Roasting concentrates their sweetness and adds texture to the sauce.

Ingredient Notes

Below are the key ingredients and why they work; the full amounts are listed in the ingredient section.

  • Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless breasts cook evenly and absorb the sauce. Trim to uniform thickness or cut thicker breasts in half lengthwise.
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes: Small tomatoes blister and sweeten quickly in the hot skillet and oven.
  • Balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon: A good-quality balsamic with a slightly syrupy body gives richness; honey balances acidity and Dijon adds savory tang.
  • Butter: Stirred in at the end, butter smooths and glosses the sauce.
  • Fresh herbs: Basil or parsley brightens the finished dish.

How to Make Balsamic Chicken With Blistered Tomatoes

Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 425°F so it’s ready once the chicken is seared.

Make the sauce. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.

Prep the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season both sides with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Two raw chicken breasts in a bowl, grape tomatoes in another bowl, and small dishes of oil, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, honey, butter, and mustard arranged on a light surface.
A white measuring cup containing a mixture of finely chopped garlic and balsamic-based sauce, viewed from above on a light surface.
A hand uses a paper towel to pat raw chicken breasts dry on a speckled plate.
Two raw chicken breasts seasoned with pepper and herbs on a white plate, placed on a light-colored surface.

Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add chicken in a single layer and sear until deeply golden, about 3–4 minutes per side. It will not be fully cooked—transfer to a plate.

Blister the tomatoes. In the same skillet, add the tomatoes and let them cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until they begin to blister and split with dark brown spots. Stir lightly, return the chicken to the pan nestled among the tomatoes, and pour the sauce over everything.

Roast. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast until the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Avoid overcooking; the temperature will rise a few degrees after you remove the pan.

A seasoned, cooked chicken breast sits in a black cast iron skillet, showing a golden-brown, seared surface.
Several roasted grape tomatoes with charred spots are scattered on a dark surface.
Two seasoned chicken breasts and roasted cherry tomatoes in a black skillet with a white handle.
Seasoned chicken breast and cherry tomatoes in a black skillet.

Finish the sauce. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir one tablespoon of softened butter into the pan sauce until melted and glossy.

Slice and serve. Slice the chicken, spoon the balsamic-tomato sauce over top, and garnish with sliced basil or chopped parsley. Serve immediately with bread, polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce.

A cast iron pan with roasted cherry tomatoes, melted butter, and sauce in the center, on a beige surface.
Sliced, cooked chicken breast seasoned with herbs and spices, arranged on a white surface.
A spoon drizzles sauce over sliced grilled chicken breast, garnished with chopped herbs, with roasted tomatoes and a serving of mashed potatoes on the plate.
Sliced seasoned chicken breast with roasted cherry tomatoes and a serving of mashed potatoes on a white plate, garnished with fresh herbs.

Serving Suggestions

  • Grains: Serve over polenta, farro, quinoa, jasmine, or basmati rice to catch every drop of sauce.
  • Crusty bread: Warm bakery or homemade bread is perfect for sopping up the pan sauce.
  • Mashed potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a comforting base for this tangy-sweet chicken.
Sliced seasoned chicken breast with sauce, roasted tomatoes, and a serving of mashed potatoes on a white plate.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This dish does not freeze well because the tomatoes lose texture.

To reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, or microwave on medium power, stirring once, to preserve sauce texture.

Recipe

Balsamic Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 4
Sliced, seasoned chicken breast in a skillet with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil garnish.
Juicy balsamic chicken with a sweet-and-tangy sauce and jammy blistered tomatoes — easy one-pan stovetop-to-oven dinner.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

For the Chicken:

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons sliced fresh basil or chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Make the sauce: Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Pat chicken dry and season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and sear 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden but not fully cooked. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add cherry tomatoes to the same skillet and cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until they blister and begin to split. Stir once, then nestle the chicken among the tomatoes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and tomatoes.
  • Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast about 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Stir the softened butter into the sauce until glossy.
  • Slice the chicken, arrange on plates, spoon sauce and tomatoes over the top, and sprinkle with basil or parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Portions: Cut the chicken into four roughly equal portions. If you have only two breasts, slice them in half lengthwise for even cooking.
  • Doneness tip: Remove the chicken from the oven when its internal temperature is nearly 165°F; it will rise a few degrees while resting and while you finish the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 6 ounces chicken with tomatoes and sauce — Calories: 338 kcal; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Protein: 38 g; Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 810 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 10 g. Nutrition is approximate.