Mozzarella Chicken and Tomatoes is an easy and delicious dish full of veggies and protein, cooked in one pan, and ready in about 40 minutes. The perfect weeknight meal!
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Two fun facts about me:
1) I'm dramatic
2) I am the queen of dramatic when I'm sick.
Last week, I had a bit of a cold. Like can't breathe, can't eat, can't talk, can't function kind of sick {see #2 fun fact about me}.
This would be the explanation of my week long blog absence. Every time I sat down to write, my eyes crossed on the screen, and I felt like my head was going to explode.
One night, I decided to get in bed instead of trying to write an incoherent post that I'd likely have to completely rewrite when I regained brain function. I crawled into bed, covered myself in Vicks VapoRub®, and snuggled up with some tissues and barely had the strength to turn out the lights.
Two hours later, I was still awake.
You know how little kids cry when they're tired? Well, apparently it can still happen when you're an adult and you are so tired and so miserable and just want to fall asleep (see above for #2 fun fact about me).
Anywho, I got a total of about 1-2 hours of sleep that night which only intensified my misery. Being sick + tired only turns me into more of a mess beauty queen.
Am I telling you all this to make you feel sorry for me? Not at all; I'm telling you all this to relay the message that I was in no capacity to cook/write/function.
But there is always a silver lining to every story (#glasshalffull), and in the midst of my misery, I concocted a dish that was actually worthy of a blog post... Mozzarella Chicken and Tomatoes
Why you should make Mozzarella Chicken and Tomatoes
A meal that even my diminished taste buds enjoyed. A meal that is cooked in one pan [cue clapping for only having to wash one dish and one dish only]. A meal that brought a smile to my pale, dark circled, stuffed-up face.
It's delicious, easy, and healthy. A cheesy, juicy, flavorful home-cooked meal ready in less time than it would take to wait on delivery.
It's seriously the perfect weeknight meal: it's full of veggies and lean protein; it only uses one pan; it's ready in under 40 minutes start to finish with little hands-on time. It's also great because you can change it up if needed: use Parmesan instead of mozzarella; try oregano or parsley if you're out of basil; throw in some additional veggies before they go bad.
How to Make this one pot chicken dish
You start by cooking the chicken, set aside, and then in the same dish, you caramelize the onions. Then just spread the onions in a thin layer and top with some sliced veggies (tomatoes), herbs (basil), and some cheese (fresh mozzarella).
Put the cooked chicken on top and finish off with a little extra cheese {there are few things more wonderful than melty, bubbly cheese - especially when you're sick}, and pop in the oven to make sure everything is nice and warm.
I always finish it off with a quick broil, so the cheese is extra bubbly and lightly browned but that's up to you -- but highly recommended.
Tips for Making this easy one skillet meal
Make Ahead Tips
You could slice the onions, tomatoes, and mozzarella ahead of time, so you are not having to do the prep work when it's time to cook. Otherwise, this comes together pretty quickly.
Alternative prep & cooking methods:
Turkey breast would also work in this dish. Make sure they are thinly sliced cutlets, and cook to an internal temperature of 165*F.
What to serve with this dish
There are not many carbohydrates in this meal, so serve alongside some cooked grains (quinoa, rice, pasta, or bread) to soak up that sauce the cooked tomatoes + cheese makes.
Final thoughts:
I am head over heels in love with this dish because not only is it easy and delicious, it is a lifesaver. I make it all the time (or some variation of it) because I know it's going to taste good and it's not hard to make.
You don't need to be dramatic to enjoy this wonderful, one pot meal!
MORE ONE POT RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
- One Pot Taco Casserole
- Pork Chops, Apples, and Onions
- Goat Cheese Chicken
- Lentils with Sausage and Kale
- Roasted Sausage and Veggies
- Skillet Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Mozzarella Chicken and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 20 ounces chicken breast or tenders
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over high heat. Stir together salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder, and sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook until lightly browned and chicken easily releases from skillet, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium, and add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes until caramelized.
- Spread onions in a thin layer across the skillet, and top with tomato slices. Sprinkle with basil and layer with half of sliced cheese. Top with chicken and cover chicken with remaining cheese.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes, until heated through. Turn oven to broil and broil until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
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What to use in this recipe:
Meme
Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably pin it for later:
Kelli @ Hungry Hobby says
This looks delish! hope your back to your self soon! Colds are no fun, I'm not looking forward to my annual winter cold.
Meme says
Thanks Kelli! They really are the worst. Usually I can stave off my cold, but this one snuck up on me {ugh!}