Mozzarella chicken is easy to make one-pan low-carb dinner recipe that is ready in less than 30 minutes. Pan seared chicken smothered in rich homemade tomato based sauce and molten melted mozzarella cheese. A meal that entire family would love!
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Mozzarella chicken is one of those recipes where you take few simple ingredients and use it in a way that makes chicken breast so much more interesting than it really is. Give those chicken breasts all the seasoning help it needs to make it better. Because nothing is sadder in this life than bland boring chicken.
Also try salsa chicken, bacon wrapped chicken, lemon pepper chicken and this chicken breast that are all packed with loads of flavors.
Why you’ll love this mozzarella chicken
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy chicken mozzarella bake
- Boneless chicken breasts
- Italian seasoning
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Crushed tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Red chili flakes
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parsley
Chicken: boneless chicken breasts are best, but you can also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
Tomatoes: feel free to use any of these crushed tomatoes, tomato passata, fire roasted tomatoes diced.
Onion: yellow Italian onion or white onion or shallots are great choices.
Garlic: use more if you like garlic flavors.
Seasoning for chicken: you can use any seasoning of your choice. Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, coriander powder.
Red pepper flakes: a big fat pinch of pepper flakes adds nice subtle heat to sauce. It’s flavor bomb!
Cheese: I love the meltiness of mozzarella cheese. You can vary the type of cheese with anything that melts like gruyere , Emmentaler or soft goat cheese.
How to make mozzarella chicken
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, smoked paprika. Rub the spices to spread evenly. Season on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Cook chicken on medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through (about 3-5 minutes each side). Transfer seared chicken to a plate, set aside.
- To the same skillet add about 2 teaspoon more olive oil if it’s too dry. Cook diced onion in the same pan until translucent scrapping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while cooking.
- Add minced garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant. Pour all the juices oozed by browned chicken in the plate into skillet, it’s flavor bomb!
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and red chilies flakes, stir to combine. Simmer and cook until tomato sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes).
- Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Nestle seared chicken breast into the thickened tomato sauce.
- You can cover chicken breasts with a spoonful of tomato sauce.
- Top each chicken breast with 2 to 3 tablespoon of mozzarella cheese (you can use mozzarella cheese slices instead of grated cheese).
- Transfer skillet to pre heat oven set to broiler settings. Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is molten, browned, hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with spaghetti or with crusty bread and a salad.
💭Tips to make best mozzarella chicken
- Season chicken well on both sides before searing. A well seasoned chicken makes this dish more tasty.
- Sear chicken on medium heat so it cooks slowly and evenly. Avoid high heat as it might brown the chicken on the outside fast, but inside will still be raw.
- Slow simmered tomato sauce is everything. Add more rich flavors to the sauce by cooking it slow on low.
- Don’t skip broiling to get nice crispy golden browned mozzarella cheese. Those crispy melted cheese are hard to resist!
FAQS
Yes you can. Use boneless chicken thighs.
Yes you can use store bought marinara sauce. Or you can make your own homemade marinara sauce and store it away. Use it whenever ready to make mozzarella chicken.
I love the meltiness of mozzarella cheese. You can vary the type of cheese with anything that melts like gruyere , Emmentaler or soft goat cheese.
Most OTG oven come with broiler settings. Check your oven for it. If you don’t have broiler settings or don’t want to use a broiler, you can melt cheese on stove top itself.
Cover the skillet with lid, turn on to simmer heat and cook until cheese is melted. If you are melting cheese on stove top, remember you won’t get crispy golden molten melted cheese.
Yes chicken mozzarella bake keeps and reheats well. If you have leftovers, separate into meal portion sizes and store in air tight containers.
It stays well in refrigerator for 2-3 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze it. Use tightly sealed boxes or freezer bags. Push out as much as air as possible before sealing. You can keep frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe variations
You can add spinach when sauce is ready and thickened. Once spinach is added, give it a quick stir, add seared chicken breasts and follow the recipe as mentioned.
Feel free to use mushrooms of any variety like button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or oyster mushrooms to the sauce.
What goes with mozzarella chicken bake?
This perfectly sauce and melted cheesy dish pairs well with pasta! Use any pasta of your choice. Spaghetti is what I prefer.
My second go-to choice to serve this chicken is with crusty bread and a salad in the side.
To keep it low-carb serve with zucchini noodles.
With quinoa is delicious! How about cauliflower rice? Do try it with cauliflower rice for hearty meal.
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📋 Mozzarella Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, smoked paprika. Rub the spices to spread evenly. Season on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Cook chicken breasts on medium heat until browned and cooked through on both sides (about 3-5 minutes each side). Transfer seared chicken to a plate, set aside.
- To the same skillet add about 2 teaspoon more olive oil if it’s too dry. Cook diced onion in the same pan until translucent scrapping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while cooking.
- Add minced garlic and cook till garlic is fragrant. Pour the juices oozed by browned chicken in the plate.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and red chilies flakes, stir to combine. Simmer and cook until tomato sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes).
- Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Nestle seared chicken breast into the thickened tomato sauce.
- You can cover chicken breasts with a spoonful of tomato sauce.
- Top each chicken breast with 2 to 3 tablespoon of mozzarella cheese (you can use mozzarella cheese slices instead of grated cheese).
- Transfer skillet to pre heat oven set to broiler settings. Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is molten, browned, hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with spaghetti or with crusty bread and a salad.
Video
Notes
- Boneless chicken breasts are best, but you can use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Season chicken well on both sides before searing. A well seasoned chicken makes this dish more tasty.
- Sear chicken on medium heat so it cooks slowly and evenly. Avoid high heat as it might brown the chicken on the outside fast, but inside will still be raw.
- Slow simmered tomato sauce is everything. Add more rich flavors to the sauce by cooking it slow on low.
- Don’t skip broiling to get nice crispy golden browned mozzarella cheese. Those crispy melted cheese are hard to resist!
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