Easy Balsamic Chicken

This balsamic chicken recipe requires almost no cutting and only about 5 minutes of prep time. The boneless skinless chicken breasts cook in a sauce of tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and onions, so they come out deliciously moist and packed with flavor.

Friends, I’m really excited about sharing this one with you today.

You all are always asking me for easy chicken recipes, and balsamic chicken might just be my new ideal easy chicken dinner.

Close up photo of balsamic chicken in a skillet with tomatoes and onions. - 1

Close up photo of balsamic chicken in a skillet with tomatoes and onions. - 2

What’s Great About This Recipe

Almost no cutting required. You’ll need to slice an onion and maybe a couple of chicken breasts. That’s it.
You can prep the ingredients in about 5 to 10 minutes. Even though this dish is big on flavor, there aren’t a ton of ingredients, so the recipe comes together FAST.
After searing, the chicken cooks in the sauce so you can walk away and don’t have to babysit it.
The chicken comes out PACKED with flavor. Super tangy, and a little sweet, this definitely isn’t your usual old boring weeknight chicken recipe.

I hope you immediately add this to your weeknight dinner rotation and then come back here and tell me how much everyone loved it!

Ingredient and Equipment Notes

Chicken breasts: Chicken breast size varies wildly these days, so you can use either 4 small chicken breasts (8 ounces or less) or 2 large (12+ ounces). If using large chicken breasts, in the recipe, I simply have you slice them into cutlets before cooking.
Sweet onion: I love using a sweet onion here, but you can substitute a red or yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand.
Canned diced tomatoes: You can substitute crushed or whole canned tomatoes if you’re out of diced. Crushed tomatoes will change the texture of the sauce but will still be delicious. To use whole canned tomatoes, pulse them a couple times in the can with an immersion blender or in your food processor or blender before adding them to the pan.
A deep 12-inch skillet with a lid: A standard 12-inch skillet works okay for this recipe, but it gets a little full so you’ll want to watch it closely once you put the lid on to make sure everything stays at just a simmer and does not boil over. A deeper skillet gives you a little more breathing room. If you don’t own a skillet with a lid, you can also make this in a large dutch oven.

How to Make Balsamic Chicken

Collage photo of balsamic chicken being cooked part 1. - 3

Collage photo of balsamic chicken being cooked part 1. - 4

Slice the chicken if needed: If using 2 large chicken breasts, slice each piece of chicken into 2 cutlets by placing your hand on top of the chicken breast and running a sharp knife horizontally through the breast, slicing the top and bottom into two even pieces.
Brown the chicken: Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and brown both sides of the meat. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Cook the onions and garlic: Add butter, garlic, and onions to the pan and cook until the onions are wilted and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. While the onions cook, be sure to use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the skillet and dislodge any cooked-on bits of fond. The fond adds flavor to the sauce, but it can burn if left sitting at the bottom of the pan.

Collage photo of balsamic chicken being cooked part 2. - 5

Collage photo of balsamic chicken being cooked part 2. - 6

Add the remaining ingredients: Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.
Return the chicken to the pan: Nestle the chicken breasts in the simmering liquid and cover skillet. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 165°F.

Cooking time is going to vary depending on how thick your chicken breasts are, so if you’re working with thicker pieces of meat, don’t worry if they’re taking a little longer to cook.

Reduce the sauce. Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a clean plate or cutting board to rest and tent with foil to keep warm. Simmer the sauce uncovered until the onions are softened to your desired level of doneness and the sauce reduces to a thicker consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes. You’ll know the sauce is good to go when you run your spoon down the pan and you can briefly see the bottom without the liquid immediately covering it up.
Time to eat: Serve chicken with sauce spooned over the top alongside egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!!

Can I use bone-in chicken breasts/thighs or boneless skinless chicken thighs?

You can, but bone-in meat will require longer cooking times, especially for chicken breasts. If the sauce becomes too thick before the meat has finished cooking, add a couple tablespoons of water back to the pan to keep the sauce from burning.

Balsamic chicken in a skillet with tomatoes and onions. - 7

Balsamic chicken in a skillet with tomatoes and onions. - 8

What to serve with balsamic chicken?

You can serve balsamic chicken breasts over egg noodles or with rice, but my favorite is mashed potatoes . Pair the chicken with a simple vegetable like:

Roasted Green Beans
Roasted Broccoli
Roasted Zucchini
Steamed Broccoli
Roasted Carrots

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can. Make this dish up to 48 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Balsamic chicken on a plate with mashed potatoes. - 9

Balsamic chicken on a plate with mashed potatoes. - 10

More Easy Chicken Dinners

Shredded BBQ Chicken
Chicken Shawarma
Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Chicken Francaise

Balsamic chicken in a skillet with tomatoes and onions. - 11

Equipment

12-inch deep skillet with a lid

Ingredients

▢ 4 small or 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
▢ Salt and pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted is fine
▢ 4 garlic cloves pressed or minced
▢ 1 sweet onion halved from root to tip and sliced into ¼-inch slices
▢ 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes*
▢ ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
▢ 1 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary
▢ ½ teaspoon ground thyme

Instructions

If using 2 large chicken breasts, slice each piece of chicken into 2 cutlets by placing your hand on top of the chicken breast and running a sharp knife horizontally through the breast, slicing the top and bottom into two thin, even pieces.
Generously salt and pepper both sides of your chicken breasts.
In a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and repeat with the second side.
Remove skillet from heat, transfer chicken to a plate and set it aside.
To the same skillet, add butter. Melt butter over medium heat and then add the garlic and onions. Use a wooden spoon to stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any cooked-on bits. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted and beginning to soften.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and nestle it in the simmering liquid. Cover skillet, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 165°F.
Transfer chicken breasts to a clean plate or cutting board to rest and tent with foil to keep warm. Continue to simmer the sauce uncovered until the onions are softened to your desired level of doneness and the sauce reduces to a thicker consistency, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon sauce over chicken breasts and serve alongside rice, over egg noodles, or with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!!

Recipe Adapted From Dishing With Leslie (no longer available online)

This homemade hot chocolate float is a dreamy and indulgent dessert perfect for chilly evenings.

I have a TON of hot chocolate recipes on this site because I fully believe that there’s a hot chocolate for every occasion.

Need an everyday walking around sort of hot chocolate? Go make my quick and easy classic hot chocolate .

Serving a crowd and need something hands-off? That’s a job for my favorite crockpot hot chocolate .

Need something totally indulgent and perfectly ridiculous? You should absolutely make a hot chocolate float.

Hot chocolate float in a glass mug. - 12

Hot chocolate float in a glass mug. - 13

Do you need to put a scoop of ice cream in your hot chocolate? Of course not. But wouldn’t your day be just a little better if you did?

I adapted this hot chocolate recipe from my rich and thick hot chocolate recipe so it’s intensely chocolatey, but not too sweet, and ideal for topping with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

As the ice cream melts into the hot chocolate, it makes the drink extra creamy, beyond delicious, and totally irresistible.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for a hot chocolate float. - 14

Ingredients for a hot chocolate float. - 15

Milk or milk and cream: I recommend using whole milk in this recipe because the higher fat the milk, the richer your hot chocolate will be, but any milk (including plant-based) will work just fine. For an extra rich and creamy drink, replace ⅓ cup of the milk with heavy cream or half and half.
Cocoa powder: Stick with unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. You can use either natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder, but Dutch-process cocoa powder is considered the gold standard for hot chocolate.
Chocolate: This recipe uses an ounce of real chocolate to really boost the chocolate flavor. Freshly chopped chocolate from a high-quality baking bar will melt the nicest, but good-quality chocolate chips work just fine.
Espresso powder: Espresso powder is optional and will not make your float taste like coffee, just enhance the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have any, you can skip it. Or grab some from the coffee aisle the next time you’re at the store. It’s a good ingredient to keep on hand, especially if you make a lot of chocolate desserts.

How to Make a Hot Chocolate Float

Hot chocolate being poured into a glass mug. - 16

Hot chocolate being poured into a glass mug. - 17

In a small pot, combine sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and water. Whisk over medium heat until smooth. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
Whisk in milk and heat until steaming. You want it quite hot but make sure not to let the milk come to a boil.
Transfer the hot chocolate to an 8-ounce mug, leaving about an inch of space at the top of the glass so your cup doesn’t overflow when you add the ice cream.
Add a generous scoop of ice cream. Serve with a spoon and enjoy!

Variations

Boozy: To make a spiked chocolate float, once you remove your hot chocolate from the heat, before you pour it into a mug, add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of your choice of alcohol to the pot. Irish cream, Kahlua, and peppermint schnapps would all be good options.
Ice cream flavor: Try switching up the ice cream flavor. Peppermint ice cream would be amazing as would caramel or dulce de leche ice cream …
Big batch: This recipe scales up with no preparation changes, and would be ideal for a Christmas cookie decorating party or just a cozy night in. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

Isn’t putting ice cream in hot chocolate a little excessive?

You betcha. You should do it anyway. <3

Can I make this recipe in the microwave?

You sure can. To make this in the microwave, combine cocoa powder, sugar, espresso powder, and water in a mug. Stir until well-mixed and microwave for 15 seconds. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until it has mostly melted (microwave for another 10 to 20 seconds if necessary) before adding the milk. Microwave 1 to 1 ½ minutes, until milk is steaming. Stir, add ice cream, and enjoy!

Can I make this without the chocolate?

Yes. If you don’t have a chocolate bar or chocolate chips handy, you can omit the chocolate and instead use a slightly rounded tablespoon of cocoa powder (instead of a level one) and either 1½ or double the sugar.

Spoon scooping ice cream out of hot chocolate. - 18

Spoon scooping ice cream out of hot chocolate. - 19

More Hot Chocolate Recipes

Classic Hot Chocolate
White Hot Chocolate
Baileys Hot Chocolate
Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes 1 cup of hot chocolate, enough to fill an 8-ounce mug. To fill an oversized mug, 1½ or double the recipe.
To line your glass like I did, make a batch of fudge sauce and allow it to cool slightly until it thickens (or use store-bought), pour it into a bowl with a bottom slightly larger than the rim of your mug. Dip the mug in the sauce and swirl it around to pick up as much sauce as possible.

Hot chocolate float in a glass mug. - 20

Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon ( 12g ) granulated sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon ( 5g ) unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon espresso powder optional
▢ Pinch of salt
▢ 1 tablespoon water
▢ 1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped (high-quality chips are fine)*
▢ 1 cup milk any percentage*
▢ 1 scoop good-quality vanilla ice cream

Instructions

In a small pot, combine sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and water. Whisk over medium heat until smooth. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
Whisk in milk and heat until steaming.
Transfer to an 8-ounce mug, leaving about an inch of space at the top of the glass.
Add a generous scoop of ice cream. Serve with a spoon and enjoy!

Notes

If you’re a fan of crispy waffles, these are the best waffles in existence. They come out beautifully golden with a crispy, crunchy exterior and light and fluffy insides every time.

Today’s recipe is one I’ve gotten a TON of requests for: waffles!!

The Best Waffle Recipe (Fight Me)

If you’re a crispy waffle fan, these are the best waffles in existence. They come out beautifully golden with a crispy, crunchy exterior and light and fluffy insides every time.

They are substantial and sturdy enough to pile whatever you want on top. Soak them in syrup, strawberry sauce and whipped cream , scoops of ice cream and hot fudge sauce . However you eat these waffles, they’re going to be great.

And, as should be expected of the best waffle recipe in all the world, they’re very, very, very easy to make. You just need one bowl and a waffle maker.

How to Make Crispy Waffles

Collage photo of waffle batter being prepared. - 22

Collage photo of waffle batter being prepared. - 23

Start the waffles by combining all your dry ingredients: flour, corn starch, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt, in a large bowl and whisking them together.
Then make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add all the wet ingredients: buttermilk, vegetable oil, an egg, and vanilla. This might seem like a lot of liquid, but don’t freak out! The recipe is correct, and the batter will be just fine. I promise.

Once the liquid ingredients are added, switch to a wooden spoon, and stir everything together until just combined. There will be some lumps, but that’s okay. Just make sure you don’t have any dry flour at the bottom of your bowl.

Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes. Remember all that liquid we were just talking about? The resting time allows the batter to thicken and the gluten to relax so you get that really tender and fluffy waffle interior rather than chewy waffles. ( Here’s a good article on what’s happening while batter is resting, if you’re curious ).

If you’re serving waffles with sides, this is a great time to cut fruit, prep any meat you’re making, or make a fruit sauce.

Waffle batter being poured into waffle maker. - 24

Waffle batter being poured into waffle maker. - 25

Once your batter is ready, preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to your iron’s instructions. This recipe makes pretty exactly 2 cups of batter, so it will make 2 to 4 waffles depending on the capacity of your waffle maker.

Keep waffles warm in a 200°F oven while all the waffles cook, and then top with toppings and enjoy!

Variations

Blueberry waffles: Stir ⅔ cup of washed and dried blueberries to the batter just before cooking.
Chocolate chip waffles: Stir ½ cup of chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the batter before cooking.
Strawberry and whipped cream waffles: Serve topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream . (My FAVORITE way to eat waffles!)

Waffle Recipe Substitutions

This recipe uses a couple ingredients that not everyone keeps stocked in their baking cupboard. These waffles are best when made as written, but you can make the following substitutions and still end up with a pretty great waffle.

Substituting for buttermilk: To make a buttermilk substitute , put 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice (fresh or bottled) in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with milk. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to “sour,” and you’re good to go.
Substituting for cornstarch: Corn starch is one of the ingredients that makes these waffles so crispy, so I recommend using it if possible, but in a pinch, you can replace the corn starch with the same amount of flour.

Do I have to let the batter rest?

Yes. As mentioned above, resting the batter gives it a chance thicken slightly and let the gluten in the batter relax so you get the best waffle texture possible.

How many will this recipe serve?

This recipe makes about 2 cups of batter, which depending on your waffle maker will make 2 to 4 waffles. It generously serves 2, but if serving to children/with a large breakfast, it could be stretched to serve 3 to 4.

If you would like to double the recipe, go for it. It scales up with no preparation changes needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

Pieces of crispy waffles on a fork. - 26

Pieces of crispy waffles on a fork. - 27

Can I freeze waffles for later?

Yes!! Extra waffles freeze extremely well, and I often double the recipe just so I have extras to freeze for later. Store cooked waffles in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.

To eat, place frozen waffles on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

Troubleshooting and Tips

Batter is too thin: This batter will be a little thin-looking. This is normal, and it will thicken slightly as it rests!! If it looks like the photo of the batter above being poured onto the waffle maker, you’re good to go.

If you’re worried about it oozing out the sides of the waffle maker, make sure your iron is completely preheated before adding the batter. Ladle it on slowly, filling holes where more batter is needed, and then give it a moment to set (about 5 to 10 seconds) before closing the lid. This will help prevent batter from squeezing out the sides when you close the lid.

Waffle Maker: If you don’t own a waffle maker, this is the one I own , and I absolutely love it. I’ll be totally honest, I was little iffy when I took it out of the box, because it felt a bit cheap compared to waffle makers I’ve handled in the past, but it does such a good job cooking waffles that I don’t care. And you can stand it upright for storage, which is a nice space-saver.

More Favorite Breakfast Recipes

Banana Pancakes
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Banana Muffins
Cream Scones
The BEST Banana Bread

Ingredients

▢ 3/4 cup ( 98 g) all-purpose flour
▢ 1/4 cup ( 30g ) corn starch
▢ 1 tablespoon ( 12g ) granulated sugar
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 1 cup buttermilk
▢ 1/3 cup vegetable oil
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ Melted butter optional for serving
▢ Syrup optional for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Make a shallow well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla, and stir together until just combined.
Allow batter to sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°F and set a baking sheet inside to place the waffle(s) on after cooking to keep warm while you cook the rest of the batter.*
Preheat waffle iron and cook batter according to your iron’s instructions*, typically 4 to 6 minutes per waffle, until waffle is nicely golden and has mostly stopped releasing steam. Waffle may not initially seem crispy to the touch, but will crisp up out of the waffle maker.
Top with melted butter and syrup if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from The Waffle of Insane Greatness