Baked chicken breasts topped with melted mozzarella in a thick and spicy tomato sauce. The beauty of this recipe is that it goes straight from the stovetop to the oven in about 30 minutes.

A skillet filled with four pieces of chicken mozzarella, topped with melted cheese and fresh basil, resting in a chunky tomato sauce. A red and white striped towel and glass of basil leaves are nearby.
Tender, juicy chicken with melty mozzarella, fresh basil and a rich and spicy tomato sauce.

Of all the chicken recipes on this site, melty mozzarella chicken feels like the family’s heart. The aroma that fills the kitchen while it’s baking in a seasoned tomato sauce (garlicky, herby, savory) is hard to complain about.

I tend to cook boneless chicken thighs at least once a week, and chicken breasts for crispy bread chicken cutlets, quick pan-fried chicken piccata — or grilled chicken bruschetta in the summer, when the oven’s the last thing I want to turn on.

A plate of baked chicken mozzarella breasts topped with melted cheese and chunky tomato sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves. A gold fork and spoon rest on the plate.

I call these baked chicken breasts with sauce “rustic Caprese” because the sauce draws from a Southern Italian pantry — canned tomatoes, roasted red peppers, a couple of anchovies, garlic, dried herbs, and a pinch of chili. It ends up thick, chunky, and more interesting than anything you’d get from a jar.

Karen’s ingredient notes

A tray with four raw chicken breasts and a cutting board with chopped onion, roasted red peppers, garlic, anchovies and shredded cheese.
  • Canned tomatoes: Instead of using a jar of ho-hum sauce, you’re going to make a flavor-packed tomato sauce with 15-ounce can of tomatoes. I recommend crushed tomatoes because they’re packed in puree and are much less watery than diced ones.
  • Anchovy: A lot of people skip the anchovies — but I highly recommend that you don’t. Three oil-packed fillets dissolve completely into the hot oil and only you will know they’re in there. Reader Gudrun, who’d never used them before, put it best in the comments: “I have a new appreciation for the flavor they give.“
  • Mozzarella: Low-moisture mozzarella — block or pre-shredded — is what you want. Fresh water-packed mozzarella releases too much liquid in the oven and makes the sauce watery.

One skillet, stovetop to oven

  • A saute pan and spoon cooking chopped onion in olive oil.
    1. Use your largest skillet — 12 to 14 inches. The wider the pan, the faster the sauce will reduce and concentrate. Soften the onion in olive oil until it’s translucent, about 4 minutes.
  • A saute pan and wooden spoon sauteeing onion, garlic and spices
    2. Add garlic, anchovies, and dried herbs and let them cook for about a minute — the anchovies will dissolve completely into the oil.
  • Chopped tomatoes, red peppers, onion and olive oil cooking in a saute pan.
    3. Add the roasted red peppers and crushed tomatoes, stir everything together, and bring to a steady simmer. The sauce needs about 5 minutes to thicken.
  • Uncooked chicken breasts on top of tomato sauce in a skillet.
    4. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper, nestle the breasts into the sauce, and transfer the whole skillet to a 400°F oven.
  • Four chicken breasts topped with grated cheese and tomato sauce in a saute pan.
    5. Flip the chicken and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
  • Chicken breasts baked with melted cheese and tomato sauce in a saute pan.
    6. Return to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to bubble at the edges.
  • Chicken breasts with melted cheese and fresh basil leaves in a pan, with a dish towel on the handle.
    7. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Transfer to a platter or serve straight from the pan.
Chicken breasts with melted cheese and fresh basil leaves in a pan.
4.97 from 30 ratings

Baked Chicken Mozzarella — One-Pan, 30 Minutes

Karen Tedesco
Baked chicken breasts topped with melted mozzarella in a thick and spicy tomato sauce. This easy one-pan recipe has intense flavor and is ready to serve in about 30 minutes.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 4 (1.3 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2½-3 pounds
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 4 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves
  • 3 chopped oil-packed anchovies
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, optional if using Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more/less to taste
  • 1 15-ounce (30 g) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
  • 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
  2. Season 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt and black pepper.
  3. Put a large (12-14-inch) ovenproof skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 chopped onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook the onion until it's softened and translucent, 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add 4 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves, 3 chopped oil-packed anchovies, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper to the pan. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
  5. Stir in 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes and 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then arrange the chicken on top of the sauce and turn off the heat. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake 12-15 minutes. Chicken breasts will get dry past 165°F — start checking them at the 12 minute mark.
  6. Flip the chicken breasts over. Sprinkle 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the chicken and bake 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  7. Sprinkle the basil over the chicken and serve.

Notes

  • Serve with your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles or  tossed with basil pesto sauce.
  • The chicken keeps up to 5 days refrigerated. You can also freeze it for up to a month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Reheat at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, or until the portion is heated through.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 407kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 35g Fat: 26g Sodium: 991mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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