Garlic Tomato Chicken with Mozzarella Recipe
Garlic Tomato Chicken with Mozzarella is a flavorful, easy-to-make dish featuring juicy seared chicken fillets simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, shallots, fresh and dried basil, and finished with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. This comforting meal combines tender chicken with a tangy, aromatic sauce and gooey cheese for a satisfying dinner perfect for weeknights or entertaining guests.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 chicken fillets
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
Sauce and Toppings
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz/400 g) cherry tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
- 3 tbsp chopped basil leaves
- 2 mozzarella balls, chopped into cubes
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prep: Finely mince the garlic cloves, finely chop the shallot, and cut the mozzarella into cubes before you start cooking to streamline the cooking process.
- Season: Season both sides of the chicken fillets evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and sweet paprika to ensure the chicken is flavorful.
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 200 °C (400 °F) in case you decide to finish the dish by baking.
- Sear: Heat olive oil and unsalted butter together in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken fillets and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until they are fully cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place them on a plate, covering loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Cook Sauce: Using the same skillet, add the minced garlic and finely chopped shallot; cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the browned bits on the skillet’s bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Add Seasonings and Tomato Paste: Stir in salt, black pepper, dried basil, and tomato paste. Keep stirring constantly for 1 minute to combine the flavors well and cook off the raw tomato taste.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the canned cherry tomatoes, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed. At this stage, chop fresh basil leaves.
- Finish: Nestle the seared chicken fillets back into the tomato mixture. Scatter chopped basil leaves and mozzarella cubes evenly over the top. Sprinkle with extra black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and grated Parmesan cheese. Let the skillet simmer gently for 5 minutes until the mozzarella just starts to melt and the flavors meld together. Alternatively, transfer the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Once done, serve the Garlic Tomato Chicken hot, spooning the rich tomato and cheese sauce over the chicken for a deliciously warm meal.
Notes
- You can substitute canned cherry tomatoes with canned crushed tomatoes if preferred.
- Use an ovenproof skillet to easily transfer from stovetop to oven for finishing the dish.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Pair this dish with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked fully to at least 165°F internal temperature for safety.
Keywords: garlic tomato chicken, mozzarella chicken, easy chicken dinner, Italian chicken recipe, chicken with tomato sauce, mozzarella chicken recipe, weeknight dinner
