Italian Style Mozzarella Chicken

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.

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.

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!

Why you’ll love this

• 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!

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

Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead

How to make this recipe

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.

More recipes to love

Want more weeknight meals? Of course you do!!

• Spaghetti Carbonara
• Skillet Lasagna Recipe
• Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy

5 from 16 votes

Italian Style Mozzarella Chicken

Author Kylee Ayotte

Servings 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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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.

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 2 large chicken breasts cut into thin cutlets to make 4
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 onion, diced finely
• ▢ 4 cloves minced garlic
• ▢ 1/2 cup water
• ▢ 30 ounces diced tomatoes 2x15oz cans
• ▢ 3-4 tablespoons basil pesto
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ▢ 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 pound cooked linguine pasta

Instructions

• Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet, over medium high heat.
• Season 2 large chicken breasts with salt and pepper 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 1 onion, diced finely, and cook until softened. Add4 cloves minced garlic and cook another minute.
• Add 1/2 cup waterand deglaze the skillet, scraping up the flavor from the bottom.
• Add 30 ounces diced tomatoes,3-4 tablespoons basil pesto,2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 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 2 cups mozzarella cheese (use more or less, as to your own taste), and melt until the broiler until browned on top.
• Serve with 1 pound cooked linguine pasta.
• Devour.

⭐️ Don’t Forget! I love to hear how this turned out for you! Share your thoughts by leaving a review and rating below.

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Nutrition

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

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.

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

About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee