Description
One Pan Balsamic Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish that features tender, pounded chicken breasts cooked in a tangy balsamic sauce, topped with fresh grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Cooked in a single oven-safe skillet, this recipe delivers a delicious, juicy main course perfect for a weeknight dinner or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. oil, such as 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
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. Set aside.
- Mix tomato mozzarella topping: In a separate bowl, toss together the halved grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking.
- Cook 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. When the oil shimmers, add chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly golden brown.
- Add balsamic sauce and simmer: Pour the prepared balsamic sauce mixture into the skillet, allowing it to quickly come to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Top with tomato mozzarella: Remove the skillet from heat immediately, then evenly spoon the tomato and mozzarella mixture over the chicken breasts.
- Bake the dish: Place the skillet uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 23 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
- Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute for optimum moistness.
Notes
- If using ciliegine mozzarella (cherry-sized balls), cut them in half for better distribution. For smaller pearl mozzarella balls, no cutting is necessary.
- To pound chicken breasts evenly, place them between two pieces of plastic wrap or inside a gallon-size Ziploc bag, then use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound to uniform thickness. This step ensures even cooking and tender meat.
- Using an oven-safe skillet is crucial for this recipe as it moves from stovetop searing to oven baking.
- The original version of this recipe did not use balsamic vinegar but a combination of soy sauce, tomato sauce, and lemon juice as a marinade; this revision simplifies the process and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
