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Oven-broiled skillet mozzarella chicken in tomato sauce topped with melted, bubbly cheese and fresh basil in a cast-iron skillet on a rustic wooden table.

Skillet Mozzarella Chicken in Tomato Sauce

A quick, low-carb, and delicious 30-minute comfort meal cooked entirely in one pan. Features pan-seared juicy chicken breasts smothered in a rich, garlic-infused tomato sauce and topped with melted, bubbly mozzarella.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 340

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:
  • * 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced horizontally into thin cutlets)
  • * 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided for searing and sauce
  • * 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • * ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • * Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Tomato Sauce:
  • * ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • * 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • * 1 can 14–15 oz high-quality crushed tomatoes (or rustic marinara)
  • * ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • * ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for warmth
For the Topping & Garnish:
  • * 1 to 1½ cups fresh mozzarella cheese sliced or torn into pieces
  • * ¼ cup fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley finely chopped for garnish

Method
 

PREP AND SEASON:
  1. Pat the chicken breast cutlets thoroughly dry with a
  2. paper towel. Season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic
  3. powder, and Italian seasoning.
SEAR THE CHICKEN:
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe
  2. cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and
  3. sear undisturbed for 4-5 minutes per side until a beautiful golden-brown
  4. crust forms. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate (it will finish
  5. cooking in the sauce).
BUILD THE TOMATO SAUCE:
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining
  2. 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion
  3. and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent, using a wooden spoon
  4. to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the
  5. minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the crushed
  6. tomatoes, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer
  7. gently for 5 minutes to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLE AND MELT:
  1. Nestle the seared chicken cutlets and their rested
  2. juices back into the simmering sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the
  3. top of each cutlet, then cover each piece generously with the fresh
  4. mozzarella cheese.
BROIL AND SERVE:
  1. Place the skillet under the oven broiler on high
  2. for 2-3 minutes until the mozzarella is completely melted, bubbly,
  3. and features gorgeous toasted golden-brown spots. Carefully remove
  4. from the oven, garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

* To ensure even cooking and juicy meat, always slice your chicken breasts
horizontally into thin cutlets.
* If using fresh mozzarella, pat the cheese dry with a paper towel before
slicing to prevent excess moisture from watering down your rich tomato sauce.