Mozzarella Chicken Skillet with Tomato Basil Cream Recipe
A flavorful Mozzarella Chicken Skillet featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a rich garlic tomato cream sauce, topped with melted buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. This one-pan meal combines Italian seasonings and creamy cheese for a comforting and delicious dinner served best over pasta or roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut or pounded to thin cutlets)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic (pressed)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh basil (chopped)
Topping
- 4 oz buffalo mozzarella (sliced)
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Mix the garlic powder, salt, and pepper together and evenly season each side of the chicken breasts.
- Heat Skillet and Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Cook in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
- Brown Chicken: Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Simmer Sauce: Add pressed garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in crushed tomatoes, add Italian seasoning, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the skillet to loosen browned bits.
- Finish Sauce and Return Chicken: Stir in parmesan cheese and heavy cream to the tomato mixture. Add chopped fresh basil, then nestle the chicken back into the skillet, covering it with the sauce. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
- Broil with Mozzarella: Place a slice of buffalo mozzarella on each chicken breast. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles with slight browning.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with extra fresh basil and serve the mozzarella chicken hot over cooked pasta or alongside roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use thin cutlets or pound chicken breasts evenly for quicker and even cooking.
- Broiling time may vary depending on your oven; watch closely to avoid burning the cheese.
- Fresh basil adds brightness—feel free to add more as garnish.
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Keywords: Mozzarella chicken skillet, Italian chicken skillet, creamy tomato chicken, easy chicken dinner, skillet chicken recipe
