Marinated Chicken Breasts with Mozzarella
Submitted by popcornman
Marinated chicken breasts topped with sliced tomato and melted mozzarella, broiled until bubbly. Served over rice pilaf with steamed broccoli for a complete weeknight dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsPan-seared chicken breast topped with overlapping tomato slices and mozzarella, then broiled for one minute until the cheese melts into a bubbly, golden cap. It’s a fast, restaurant-looking dinner that comes together while the rice pilaf cooks.
The chicken gets cooked through in a cast iron skillet first, then the tomato and cheese go on top for a quick blast under the broiler. Cast iron is ideal here because it goes straight from stovetop to broiler without swapping pans.
Steamed broccoli florets round out the plate. Cook them crisp-tender in just 3 minutes so they still have some snap.
Pro Tips
- Use a cast iron skillet for the stovetop-to-broiler transfer. Don’t use a pan with a plastic handle under the broiler.
- Overlap the tomato slices so they cover the chicken surface. This creates a barrier between the cheese and the meat that keeps the chicken moist.
- Watch the broiler closely. One minute is usually enough. Mozzarella goes from perfectly melted to burnt in seconds.
- Let the chicken cook fully through before adding the toppings. The broiler time is only for melting cheese, not cooking meat.
Variations
- Use fresh mozzarella sliced thick for a creamier, more luxurious melt.
- Add a few fresh basil leaves between the tomato and cheese for a caprese-style topping.
- Swap the rice pilaf for pasta tossed in olive oil and garlic.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare rice pilaf according to package directions, adding green onion the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the ½ cup water to boiling and add broccoli florets.
Cook, covered, for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
In a large, cast-iron skillet heat oil and cook chicken breasts over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once.
Overlap the halved tomato slices on top of tomato slices and cover each with a half-slice of mozzarella.
Broil the chicken breasts 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 1 minute or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve on hot rice pilaf.
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