Pan-Seared Chicken with Mascarpone and Tomatoes

Chicken Cutlets with Summer Tomatoes & Mascarpone Sauce

Welcome to your next go-to dinner! This pan-seared chicken recipe is a celebration of summer flavors—a vibrant mix of burst tomatoes, fresh spinach, and a rich mascarpone sauce that elevates every bite. It’s designed to be both simple and impressive, perfect for a weeknight treat or a relaxed weekend gathering.

Why I Love Combining Chicken with Mascarpone Cheese

• Perfectly Seared Chicken Every Time: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can easily dry out. Here, we achieve a golden crust on the stovetop, then transfer them to the oven to gently finish cooking in a flavorful sauce. Juicy in the middle, beautifully browned on the outside!
• A Rich, Luscious Pan Sauce: After searing, deglaze the pan with white wine or chicken stock. Those browned bits (a.k.a. “fond”) at the bottom of the pan transform into a luxurious sauce when combined with mascarpone.
• Bright, Zesty Flavor: This dish marries the sweetness of cherry tomatoes, brightness from lemon juice and zest, and richness from a rosemary-garlic compound butter. The result? An irresistible balance of savory, tangy, and creamy!

You probably already have most of what you need — fresh herbs, garlic, a few chicken breasts, and a splash of your favorite wine or broth. The recipe is flexible enough to handle a few ingredient swaps, too. Truly, if you are looking for an easy, summer skillet chicken recipe, this is the one!

Keep dinner simple, but flavorful: I’ve got lots of easy dinner recipes that deliver big flavor with minimal effort. Consider trying my cheesy and crunchy chicken parmesan or these pecan nut-crusted chicken cutlets next!

Ingredients Needed

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets
• Kosher salt, to season everything, including the compound butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Unsalted butter, room temperature, for the compound butter
• A couple of garlic cloves finely chopped, about 1-2 heaping tablespoons
• Fresh rosemary finely chopped: Can substitute with fresh sage or thyme!
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Shallot chopped: Can substitute with onion, but we love the delicate flavor of shallots.
• Grape or cherry tomatoes: The tomatoes pop and burst in the pan, releas concentrated, sweet-tangy juices that deeply flavor the entire dish.
• Low-sodium chicken broth or stock or dry white wine, to make the sauce
• Fresh baby spinach: Feel free to substitute with chopped kale or Swiss chard.
• Mascarpone cheese, adds a creaminess to the overall sauce.
• Lemon, zested and cut into wedges for serving: A hit of fresh lemon juice at the end will round out the flavors!
• Chopped parsley, for serving!

If you have leftover tomatoes needing to be used up, check out these fresh tomato recipes — they’re all easy and delicious!

You’ll need a small bowl to mix the compound butter in, as well as a large oven safe skillet. We also recommend a meat thermometer to check for doneness on all meats.

Can I Use Bone-In Chicken Instead?

Absolutely! Bone-in chicken thighs or breasts — with or without the skin — will work here. If you opt for skin-on chicken, let the skin render in the hot skillet before flipping so it gets crisp and golden. Keep in mind bone-in cuts generally require about 20% more cooking time, so adjust accordingly.

Make The Garlic Herb Compound Butter

What is compound butter? It’s softened butter mixed with added flavor boosters. In this recipe, that means garlic, fresh rosemary, and kosher salt. The compound butter infuses the chicken and sauce with extra richness and a bold, herby punch.

1. Place softened butter in a small bowl.
2. Add finely chopped garlic, rosemary, and a pinch of kosher salt.
3. Mash to combine thoroughly.

When combined, the chicken cutlets with burst tomatoes, mascarpone cheese, and savory compound butter meld into a rich, flavor-packed dish that is balanced and satsifying.

Start On A Stove Top, Finish In An Oven

Why do you start the chicken breasts on a stove top, but finish in an oven? If you attempted to cook the chicken (without a pan sauce) on the stove top until it was fully cooked and registering an internal temperature of 165°F throughout, you’d risk burning some of the other ingredients (garlic!) or having tough, dry chicken.

Instead, add a liquid to deglaze the pan — white wine or chicken broth work great! — then transfer to the oven to finish in a braise. A braise just means something that is cooked partially in liquid, such that the bottom sits in a sauce or liquid, while the top remains above and exposed to heat without liquid. This will gently finish cooking the chicken in an oven so it stays juicy and tender.

Side Dish Recommendations

Serve over fluffy rice, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread to soak up that luscious sauce.

Pair with a simple arugula salad or roasted vegetables to add even more color to your plate.

Pro Tips For Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets

• Dry Chicken = Better Sear: Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry so it forms a golden crust more easily.
• Don’t Flip Too Early: Let the chicken release naturally from the pan to avoid tearing or shredding the meat.
• Watch Your Heat: Cook the aromatics over medium or medium-low heat. Burnt garlic can quickly ruin a sauce!
• Deglaze Properly: Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits. This is pure flavor gold!
• Season, Season, Season: Always taste and adjust salt and pepper levels, especially once you’ve added stock or wine.

This Pan Seared Chicken with Burst Tomatoes, Spinach, and Mascarpone is a foolproof way to master juicy chicken breasts. It’s bright, creamy, and guaranteed to be on heavy rotation all season.

If you make this easy Pan Seared Chicken recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!

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