Description
This One Pan Balsamic Chicken recipe combines juicy, pounded chicken breasts with a flavorful balsamic and honey sauce, topped with a fresh tomato and mozzarella mixture. Cooked in a single oven-safe skillet, it offers a simple yet elegant meal perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
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, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Prepare Tomato Mozzarella Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the halved grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and chopped fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the dish.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Season the pounded chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Once the oil is shimmering and the pan is hot, add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.
- Add Balsamic Sauce: Pour the prepared balsamic sauce over the chicken in the skillet. It should start to simmer immediately. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Add Tomato Mozzarella Topping: Remove the skillet from the heat and evenly distribute the tomato and mozzarella mixture over the chicken breasts.
- Bake the Chicken: Place the skillet uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 23 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and is fully cooked through.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute for moist, flavorful chicken.
Notes
- If using ciliegine mozzarella (cherry size), cut the cheese in half before combining; if using smaller mozzarella pearls, no need to cut.
- Pound the chicken between plastic wrap or in a plastic bag to an even thickness using a mallet or rolling pin to ensure even cooking and tender meat.
- The original recipe used a mixture of soy sauce, tomato sauce, and lemon juice for the sauce but was revised to include balsamic vinegar for better simplicity and flavor.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to transition from stovetop searing to oven baking without transferring pans.
- Check chicken internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safe cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
