30 minute Mozzarella Chicken is an insanely delicious cheesy weeknight dinner recipe that’s also high protein and low-carb/keto-friendly at just 4g net carbs per serving! It’s pan-seared chicken nestled in tomato sauce and topped with melty mozzarella, then baked to perfection.
Looking for a new, and very tasty chicken recipe? Add this Mozzarella Chicken Skillet to your menu plan this week! This is such a simple meal, yet it’s bursting with flavor and tastes amazing!
Tender pan seared chicken breasts are smothered in tomato sauce and covered with mozzarella cheese with sautéed onion and garlic to enhance every bite. The cheese melts and blend the chicken and tomato sauce flavors together making a dish that you’re going to be craving on repeat.
Use an oven-proof skillet, so you start the recipe on the stove and finish it in the oven without any hassle. Preparing this meal is such a breeze! Plus, cleanup is really quick and easy too!
Why you’ll love this mozzarella chicken recipe
- Delicious Flavor: It’s warm and cheesy with wonderful Italian flavors.
- Simple Ingredients: All you need are a handful of simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples!
- Quick & Easy: With simple methods in just 30 minutes, you’ll be sitting down to an incredibly tasty dinner! Plus, you’ll only need to clean one pan!
- Family Friendly: This is one of those recipes the whole family will enjoy. Who doesn’t love melted mozzarella over juicy chicken?!
Ingredients Needed
- Olive Oil: For cooking the onion and garlic.
- Onion: Use any onion variety you like best. We like yellow onions because they offer the most balanced sweet & savory flavor profile.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best to add wonderful flavor.
- Tomatoes or Marinara: You can use a can of crushed tomatoes or about 15 ounces of your favorite marinara sauce to give this recipe plenty of saucy deliciousness.
- Spices: A simple blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper will make the tomato sauce taste homemade.
- Chicken: You’ll need 4 small to medium boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cut them in half lengthwise, if they are large.
- Mozzarella: We recommend fresh mozzarella for the best flavor, however you can use shredded mozzarella if that’s what you have.
- Garnish: Add a pop of color with a sprinkle of fresh basil or chopped parsley.
How to Make Mozzarella Chicken
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-duty (oven-safe) skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sauté: Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened and the edges are slightly golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds then add the crushed tomatoes and spices. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Add Cheese: Flip the chicken breasts over and top with fresh mozzarella slices (or shredded mozzarella) and bake another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Cook Time: The time to cook the chicken will depend on the thickness, so it may vary a bit. Try to use chicken breasts that are similar in size, so they cook evenly. If the ones you have are quite thick, you can pound them out or cut them in half lengthwise.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs will work in this recipe, the cook time may vary slightly.
- Let the Chicken Sear: Avoid moving the chicken around in the pan while it’s searing. We want a nice, golden brown on all sides, so only flip once.
Serving Suggestions
This mozzarella chicken skillet pairs well with so many different sides! Here are some of our favs to try:
- A simple pasta tossed with a little marinara. Use zucchini noodles for a low carb option.
- Rice or cauliflower rice to keep this meal low carb.
- Crispy air fryer broccoli, garlic butter mushrooms, kale salad or another veggie side.
Recipe FAQs
How to know when chicken is cooked?
To ensure your chicken is safe to eat, we always recommend using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Cook the chicken until it reads 165ºF. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the meat with a skewer or sharp knife. If the juices run clear and there is no pink color, it is likely done.
Why won’t my mozzarella melt into sauce?
Pre-grated bags of cheese contain preservatives like potato starch and natamycin, to keep the shreds from clumping together in the bag. That also means they don’t melt together as well when cooking. For the best melting, shred the mozzarella from a block or use slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
How long should you pan fry chicken for?
Typically, you would need to pan fry chicken breasts for a total of 10 to 12 minutes to fully cook it, depending on size. Since, in this recipe, the chicken finishes cooking in the oven, you’ll only need to pan fry it for about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Storage Recommendations
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
To avoid the chicken drying out when reheating, slice it and then reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More One-Pan Recipes to Try
- Lemon Butter Chicken
- One Pan Mediterranean Chicken
- 15 Minute One Pan Shrimp and Rice
- One Pan Chicken and Rice with Sun-Dried Tomato, Parmesan, and Basil
- Easy One Pan Baked Salmon with Veggies
- One Pan Fajita Chicken
30-Minute Mozzarella Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes or your favorite marinara
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon EACH garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper
- 4 small-medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz fresh or shredded mozzarella
- fresh basil, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-duty (oven-safe) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened and the edges are slightly golden.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds then add the crushed tomatoes and spices. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken breasts over and top with fresh mozzarella slices (or shredded mozzarella) and bake another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Omg this dish was so wonderful everyone of your recipes are fantastic thank you so much.
I’m happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes, Marlaine!
Hubby said it’s a do-over. It was as stated easy to make.
I did add a couple of extra items.
I added about 6 mushrooms cut into 1/6 pieces. I added them when I cooked the onions. I also added 1/2 cup of white wine to the crushed tomatoes.
Because I’m a diabetic I served this chicken over brown rice. I love your recipes because most are low carbs.
Thank you,
Donna
It looks like an easy, delicious recipe. I’ll definitely try to cook it. Thank you Layla for the cooking instructions and providing the complete ingredients of this Chicken Mozzarella. Thanking you …Lee