Easy Weeknight Mozzarella Chicken
This Mozzarella Chicken Bake is a quick and easy chicken dinner. The chicken breasts come out perfectly moist and are cooked directly in your favorite marinara sauce and then topped with tons of mozzarella cheese.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 782kcal
Equipment
- 12-inch oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 4 small or 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning OR 1 teaspoon each basil and oregano, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce
- 1 ¾ cups (6oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 12 ounces pasta fettuccine is a great option
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉.
- 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 the top of each piece of chicken and then sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil for your pasta.
- In a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken breasts to the pan, seasoning-side down. Salt and pepper the other side of the chicken breasts and top with remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Cook chicken until the first side is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and repeat with the second side.
- Remove skillet from heat and pour marinara sauce over the chicken. Use tongs or a fork to pick up each chicken piece and nestle it into the sauce so there is sauce on all sides of the chicken.
- Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese on each chicken breast and then place the skillet in the oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breasts reads 165°F, about 10-20 minutes.* Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- While your chicken bakes and then rests, cook pasta according to packaging instructions.
- Serve each chicken breast on a bed of pasta and spoon sauce over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
* If you don't own an oven-safe skillet, sear the chicken and then transfer it to a 9x13-inch baking dish and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
* Longer for very large chicken breasts.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 3 days, and you can reheat the sauce and chicken gently over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freezer: Store chicken and sauce in a freezer zip top bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating. Serve over freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 782kcal