Baked Balsamic Chicken with Tomato Mozzarella and Basil Recipe
This Baked Balsamic Chicken recipe is a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner featuring tender boneless chicken breasts cooked with a tangy balsamic glaze, fresh grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and fragrant basil. Cooked in a single oven-safe skillet, this dish combines a quick stovetop sear with oven baking to lock in moisture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Sauce
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Tomato Mozzarella
- 8 oz grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or pearls)
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
Chicken
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or other high-heat oil
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Prepare the tomato mozzarella mixture: In a separate bowl, toss halved grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and finely chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) to get ready for baking the chicken.
- Sear the chicken: Heat avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Season the pounded chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.
- Add the balsamic sauce: Pour the prepared balsamic sauce into the skillet. It should begin to simmer quickly. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Add tomato mozzarella on top: Remove the skillet from heat immediately, then evenly distribute the tomato mozzarella mixture over the chicken breasts.
- Bake the chicken: Place the skillet uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 18-23 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is cooked through.
- Rest and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows juices to redistribute, ensuring moist results.
Notes
- Mozzarella: If using cherry-sized ciliegine mozzarella, cut the balls in half; pearl-sized mozzarella balls can be used whole.
- Chicken preparation: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness using a mallet or rolling pin between plastic wrap or inside a Ziploc bag. This ensures even cooking and tender, moist meat.
- Original recipe note: This recipe was adapted from an earlier version that used a soy sauce and tomato sauce marinade instead of balsamic vinegar for similar flavor complexity.
