Baked Chicken With Crispy Parmesan and Tomatoes

By Alison Roman

Updated October 2, 2017

  • Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(2,165)
Comments
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Think of this as an easy version of chicken Parmesan, tender chicken, tangy tomatoes and crispy bits of Parmesan. Here, there’s no pounding, breading or frying required. The bath of garlicky tomatoes gently cooks the chicken, keeping it juicy, while the dusting of Parmesan returns some richness lost in choosing boneless and skinless breasts. Seek out chicken breasts on the larger side to give the Parmesan a chance to properly brown and crisp up without overcooking.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 4 sprigs thyme, oregano or rosemary

  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 ounce Parmesan, plus about 2 tablespoons for garnish

  • ½ cup parsley or basil, coarsely chopped (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

10 grams carbs; 153 milligrams cholesterol; 389 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1001 milligrams sodium; 51 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half crosswise and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish along with garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until chicken is about halfway cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and grate Parmesan over chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Return to oven and continue to bake until chicken is cooked through, tomatoes are starting to caramelize and Parmesan is browned and crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes more.

  4. Step 4

    Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley or basil before serving, if desired, and garnish with shavings of Parmesan.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,165 user ratings
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Comments

Paula

I've made this twice now with great success! Used halved cherry tomatoes and sliced shallots, plus some veggie stock and a splash of balsamic to loosen it all up. The fresh thyme really makes this. Served with oven roasted baby new potatoes (parboiled briefly and sliced) with thyme, salt and pepper. YUM.

laura

Works better if you don’t add the juice from the can. Just add the tomatoes themselves. Otherwise it does turn out soupy, as some commenters mentioned.

Brad

This is a light, healthy yet very tasty version of cp. I went 425 for 45 minutes total, adding the parm reg on after 25 and the last 2 minutes under the broiler.

Sharon

This is so simple. The chicken came out moist and flavorful. Get a good quality Parmesan and it will be a hit, even for company. I made it with simmered fresh green beans with butter and fresh corn off the cob.

S

I double checked… I Followed this recipe to the letter, but the chicken came out tough and the tomatoes lacked flavor. Then I cooked a few minutes longer and it was still tough and bland. Maybe this recipe gets chalked up to “just doesn’t work in my kitchen.” I’m wondering if tenderizing the chicken breasts might help? Suggestions welcome!

Vince

The recipe says to "drain" the tomatoes.

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