It’s Monday and we are FEELING it, but luckily this basil-parmesan chicken and rice with tomatoes is an absolute wonder recipe–perfect for the Monday blues.
We used gold Roma tomatoes but really any tomato variety will work – Roma, cherry, or even a can of diced.

Doesn’t that chicken and rice look absolutely incredible? You know what’s even better about this recipe? There’s only one hour between you and a delicious dinner recipe!
For this Basil-Parmesan Chicken and Rice with Tomatoes, you’re just gonna whip up some brown rice. While the rick is cooking, you’ll sear your chicken and then roast until it reaches about 150ºF.
You’ll set the chicken aside, and in the same skillet cook up the onions and peppers and then add the tomatoes. Once they’re nice and softened, you’ll assemble the skillet. All you have to do is add the rice, the chicken, and some parsley and basil. Grate some parmesan all over it and chuck it in the oven until the chicken reaches 165ºF!
When I serve this basil-parmesan chicken, I like to thinly slice each breast and arrange on top of each plate of rice. You can serve it however you like, but whatever you do, you’re going to love this recipe!
If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Looking for more chicken recipes? Check the archives!

Basil-Parmesan Chicken and Rice with Tomatoes
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons dry thyme
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil for frying
Basil-Parmesan Rice with Tomatoes:
- 1 cup wild or brown rice
- A pat of butter optional
- 1 and 2/3 cups water
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 bell peppers trimmed, deseeded, and diced
- 1 pound tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- ½ cup freshly chopped parsley divided
- 10 basil leaves torn, divided
- Salt pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the Rice:
- Combine the rice, butter, water, and a sprinkle of salt and in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Note: Cook time may vary depending on rice variety.
Prepare the Chicken:
- Combine the thyme, paprika, and garlic powder in a bowl. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken and rub it in. Note: Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, you may have additional spice mixture leftover. You can throw the remaining spice mixture in with the vegetables when they’re cooking later on in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Heat the neutral cooking oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Add the chicken breasts and cook without moving for 4-5 minutes or until they turn dark golden brown. Flip and transfer to the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are almost completely cooked through (About 150ºF). Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer to the stove top. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Cook the Vegetables:
- Carefully return the skillet to medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and season all over with salt and pepper and any remaining spice mixture. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until the peppers and onions are golden brown and softened.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.
Assemble the Skillet:
- Pour the rice into the skillet with the vegetables and toss to combine. Sprinkle all but a pinch of the parsley and basil and all but 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese over the skillet. Place the chicken breasts on top.
- Return the skillet to the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165ºF.
To Serve the Basil-Parmesan Chicken and Rice Skillet:
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and thinly slice the chicken. Divide the rice and tomatoes between plates and arrange the chicken on top. Garnish with the remaining basil, parsley, and parmesan. Enjoy!