Description
Quick easy mozzarella chicken gets dinner on your table in about 30 minutes with just a handful of pantry staples and melty cheese. Tender chicken breasts topped with marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella give you a satisfying meal that tastes like you spent way more time cooking than you actually did.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Base:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Coating and Breading:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Cheese and Seasonings:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Flatten your 4 chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet.
- Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk 2 large eggs in a separate shallow bowl.
- Mix 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano in another shallow bowl.
- Dredge each chicken breast through your flour mixture, tapping off any excess.
- Dip the floured chicken into your egg mixture, then coat it completely with the breadcrumb blend.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until it shimmers.
- Place your chicken breasts in the hot oil and sear them for 5-6 minutes on each side at medium-high heat until the coating turns golden brown and the chicken cooks through.
- Move your chicken to a baking sheet and heat your oven to 375°F.
- Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce across the top of each chicken breast.
- Layer 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each breast, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese over your portions.
- Bake everything at 375°F for 8-10 minutes until your cheese melts and bubbles at the edges.
- Let your chicken rest for 2 minutes before plating and serving.
Notes
- Pound your chicken breasts evenly to ensure they cook through at the same rate and stay tender rather than drying out in patches.
- Set up your breading station with all three bowls in a row before you start coating so your hands stay cleaner and the process moves faster.
- Don’t skip the brief cooling time after baking, as the cheese needs those 2 minutes to set slightly so it doesn’t slide right off when plating.
- For a lighter version, brush the chicken with oil and bake it instead of pan-frying, then top with sauce and cheese to skip the extra cooking oil.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-24 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 605 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 810 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 53 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg