Chicken with Balsamic Basil

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A juicy one-pan balsamic chicken dish with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on top. This simple dinner is so easy to make that it will quickly become a family favorite!

Try our basil chicken for more meals that can be made in one pan.

this recipe

Chicken with Balsamic Basil

This balsamic chicken dish that only needs one pan is one of our favorite dinners. It tastes great, is easy to make, and can be made all year long!

You can quickly sear the chicken breast on the stove with some tasty homemade balsamic sauce. Then, to finish baking in the oven, put fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on top.

You can make this meal quickly on a weeknight. It goes well with anything that can soak up the sauce, like rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta.

Things you need

• honey and balsamic vinegar
• oil from avocados
• garlic
• Seasoning from Italy
• Mustard from Dijon and grape tomatoes
• mozzarella balls
• fresh basil chicken breast salt and pepper

Sauce

• 1/3 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

How to Make Basil Balsamic Chicken

1. Whisk together the ingredients for the balsamic sauce.
2. In a separate bowl, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
3. Over high heat, cook the chicken breast until lightly golden brown. Add balsamic sauce and bring to a simmer.
4. Top with tomato mozzarella. Bake at 400F until chicken is cooked through.

5. In a bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
6. In a separate bowl, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, to taste. When the pan is hot and oil is shimmering, add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly golden brown.
9. Add the balsamic sauce mixture. It should start to simmer quickly. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
10. Take the pan off the heat right away and pour the tomato mozzarella mixture over the chicken.
11. Bake uncovered for 18-23 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Internal temperature should register at 165F. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & Variations

Can I Use Boneless Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you just have to adjust the cooking time. Thighs cook really fast so I recommend checking for doneness after 7-10 minutes. Also, since thighs are more tender and juicy than chicken breast, there’s no need to pound them.

Mozzarella: If using ciliegine mozzarella, also known as “cherry size” fresh mozzarella then cut it in half. If using “pearls” which are smaller size mozzarella balls, then no need to cut in half.

Chicken: To pound the chicken, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or into a gallon size Ziploc bag, and using a mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to even thickness. Make sure not to skip this step. It helps the chicken cook evenly, tenderizes the meat, and results in moist meat.

Serving Suggestions & Nutritional Information

This one pan balsamic chicken is a great dish to pair with something to soak up the delicious pan juices and sauce. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
• Pilaf with Cauliflower Rice
• Rice with Pineapple
• Cauliflower and Ricotta Mash
• Egg noodles
• Roasted vegetables
• Quinoa

Original Recipe

This recipe was originally published on 9/28/17 and did not include balsamic vinegar. Instead, the recipe relied on a combination of ingredients that resembled the taste of balsamic vinegar. However, it ended up being too confusing to so many readers so we decided to rewrite the recipe to include balsamic vinegar.

Here is the old version of the recipe: ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.), 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness), 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 8 oz. grape tomatoes, halved, 8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine), 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil, Kosher salt and fresh black pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, tomato sauce, and lemon juice. Add chicken tossing to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Melt butter over high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown, seasoning both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Immediately, off heat, top the chicken with tomato mozzarella mixture and bake uncovered for 18-23 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.