Description
Tender, juicy chicken breast topped with fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and fragrant basil, all baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare the chicken by patting dry and pounding to an even thickness if necessary.
- In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and rub the seasoning mixture on both sides.
- Place seasoned chicken in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken bakes, slice mozzarella and tomatoes, patting the tomato slices dry.
- Remove chicken from the oven and top each breast with 2-3 slices of mozzarella and 2-3 tomato slices.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving, then drizzle with balsamic glaze and extra olive oil, and garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Letting the chicken rest after cooking is crucial for juicy results. Be sure to use fresh mozzarella for the best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 70mg