Description
A delicious Italian-inspired dish featuring juicy boneless chicken breasts stuffed with fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and aromatic basil leaves. Sear the chicken to a golden brown and finish baking in the oven for a flavorful, low-carb, gluten-free main course drizzled with balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Seasonings
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Stuffing
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the chicken.
- Prepare Chicken Pockets: Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast without slicing all the way through, creating space for the stuffing.
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to enhance flavor.
- Stuff Chicken: Fill each chicken breast pocket with slices of fresh mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil leaves. Use toothpicks to secure the opening if needed to hold the stuffing in place.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a golden brown crust.
- Bake Chicken: Transfer the skillet with the seared stuffed chicken breasts to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle the chicken with balsamic glaze before serving for added sweetness and tang.
Notes
- Serve with roasted vegetables, a light salad, or garlic mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
- For enhanced flavor, marinate the chicken breasts in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil before stuffing and cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed chicken breast
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
