Description
A comforting, one-skillet dish featuring juicy chicken fillets simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce with melty mozzarella and fresh basil. Perfect for weeknight dinners or when you want something simple yet special.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
4 chicken fillets
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
For the Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup white wine (or extra chicken broth)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) cherry tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 mozzarella balls, chopped
3 tbsp grated Parmesan
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Prep Ingredients: Mince garlic, chop shallot, and cube mozzarella before you start cooking.
Season Chicken: Pat fillets dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and cover with foil.
Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, cook garlic and shallot for 2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up brown bits.
Build Flavor: Stir in salt, pepper, dried basil, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add broth and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add Chicken & Cheese: Nestle chicken into the sauce. Add basil, mozzarella, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 more minutes or bake at 400°F for 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Serve Hot: Enjoy as-is or over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.
Notes
Substitute crushed tomatoes if cherry tomatoes aren’t available.
Use extra broth instead of wine for an alcohol-free version.
Want more heat? Add more red pepper flakes.
This recipe pairs perfectly with pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One-Skillet / Baked
- Cuisine: American , Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 880 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg