Description
This One Pan Balsamic Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender boneless chicken breasts cooked in a tangy balsamic honey sauce, topped with fresh grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this recipe combines sautéing and oven baking in one pan to minimize cleanup while delivering a deliciously balanced meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp oil (avocado or olive oil)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Tomato Mozzarella Topping
- 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, to taste
- Fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Make tomato mozzarella topping: In a separate bowl, combine 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°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the chicken later.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado or other high-heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook 1-2 minutes per side until lightly golden brown.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared balsamic sauce over the seared chicken in the skillet. The sauce should come to a quick simmer. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze by scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove the skillet from the heat immediately.
- Add tomato mozzarella topping: Evenly spread the tomato, mozzarella, and basil mixture over the chicken breasts in the skillet.
- Bake the chicken: Place the skillet uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 18-23 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is fully cooked through.
- Rest and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing juices to redistribute and flavors to meld.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken breasts are pounded to an even thickness for uniform cooking.
- You can substitute grape tomatoes with cherry tomatoes if needed.
- Use an oven-safe skillet such as cast iron or stainless steel to move directly from stovetop to oven.
- Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper before cooking.
- Check chicken doneness with a meat thermometer to ensure food safety.
