Italian Style Mozzarella Chicken

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Mozzarella Chicken is a fabulous weeknight dinner, made up of a rich, made from scratch tomato-based sauce, linguine pasta and chicken all topped with melty cheese.

 

Easy Mozzarella Chicken

This dinner is DELICIOUS, people. Like, lick the plate, and grab a spoon and eat any leftover sauce from the skillet kind of delicious.

It’s all made from pretty basic ingredients, that you probably already have. Isn’t that how some of the greatest dinners are made? Using what you have, and winging it a little? That’s how it works at my house!

Usually, my basic tomato sauce is onion, garlic, tomatoes, with some fresh herbs (I usually use basil). However, I didn’t have any fresh basil, so I added some basil pesto to the sauce. 

I have to tell you, I think this is THE key ingredient to it all. It brings such a fresh and complex flavor to an otherwise fairly simple sauce. It’s kind of divine, actually. Happiest accident, ever!

I make the sauce in the same skillet that I cook the mozzarella chicken in, scraping up all the yummy flavor and whisking it in with the sauce – it really does give the sauce an extra touch of flavor, and ties it in beautifully with the rest of the meal.

You’ll also love my Balsamic Glazed Chicken or my Chicken Florentine!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy to make – this is an easy chicken recipe perfect for keeping around when you need dinner, fast! It’s on the table in around 30 minutes.
• Uses pantry ingredients – nothing fancy, and there are plenty of ways to sub in what you have.
• Family friendly – trust me, make a double batch and take it for lunch the next day!

Recipe Ingredients and Possible Substitutes

The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below. 

How to make this recipe

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The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Step 1: Cook the chicken

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet, over medium high heat and season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side until browned and fully cooked (cooking time will vary based on thickness of your chicken. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

(Meanwhile, boil some water to cook your pasta).

Step 2: Make the Sauce

Add the other 1 Tbs olive oil to the skillet, and heat. Add the onions, and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the water and deglaze the skillet, scraping up the flavor from the bottom. The browned bits have amazing flavor, we want it ALL in the sauce!

Add the crushed tomatoes, pesto, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and stir until fully combined.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, and allow to cook a further 10 minutes on low. (Now is a good time to cook your pasta).

Taste test the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Step 3: Add the chicken back into the sauce

Add the chicken back into the skillet, and submerge in the sauce.

Top with mozzarella cheese (use more or less, as to your own taste – I vote for more), and melt until the broiler until browned on top. Serve with cooked linguine.

Devour.

Want more weeknight meals? Of course you do!!

• Spaghetti Carbonara
• Skillet Lasagna Recipe
• Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
• Skillet Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter Sauce (from Cooking Classy)

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Italian Style Mozzarella Chicken

5 from 14 votes

Mozzarella Chicken is a fabulous weeknight dinner, made up of a rich, made from scratch tomato-based sauce, linguine pasta and chicken all topped with melty cheese.

Author: Kylee Ayotte

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

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Yield: 4

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbs olive oil (divided)
• 2 large chicken breasts (cut into thin cutlets to make 4)
• 1 onion (diced finely)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 3-4 Tbs basil pesto
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1 lb linguine pasta (cooked)

Directions

• Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet, over medium high heat.
• Season the chicken then cook on both sides, until browned and fully cooked. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
• Add the other 1 Tbs olive oil to the skillet, and heat.
• Add the onions, and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add the water and deglaze the skillet, scraping up the flavor from the bottom.
• Add the tomatoes, basil pesto, dried oregano, salt and pepper, and stir until fully combined.
• Bring the sauce to a simmer, and allow to cook a further 10 minutes on low. (Now is a good time to cook your pasta)
• Taste test the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Add the chicken back into the skillet, and submerge in the sauce.
• Top with cheese (use more or less, as to your own taste), and melt until the broiler until browned on top.
• Serve with cooked linguine.
• Devour.

Tried this recipe? Tag me!Mention @kyleecooks or tag #kyleecooks!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 839kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 2.4mg

Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Update: This was originally posted in December of 2016, and has been updated to improve reader experience.