Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil

Chicken for dinner doesn’t have to be the same old and it doesn’t have to be complicated either. This simple Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with fresh basil and tomato makes dinner worth repeating! Ready in 30 minutes and packed with flavor– a Caprese salad right in your chicken!

Winner, Winner, Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Dinner!

Dinner. The one thing that I swear I get into the biggest ruts in life these days.

There’s taco night, spaghetti night, mama is too tired so we order pizza night, and a few other things here and there. It goes over and over on repeat until I decide I’m bored and I need something new.

Honestly, I am pretty easy to please when it comes to dinner. I would happily do eggs and toast or a sandwich for my last meal of the day, but Anthony wants a nice warm cooked meal. So I have been trying to step out of my ruts and shake things up when it comes to what’s on the dinner table these days.

First up? Chicken!

We do chicken at least once a week. I typically season it with some garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. I bake it and then try to change up what I serve it with to “keep it fresh.” It’s funny, you’d think since I play with food most days that dinner would be some fancy cuisine, but nope, not the case.

Until this Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken came around recently, the hubby probably thought he was gonna live the rest of his life eating the same old chicken. One taste and he was quite pleased by this cheese, basil stuffed goodness.

I typically get a response like “not bad” when he taste tests (probably more because he knows it drives me crazy when he says that), but this time I got a, “Wow, this is really good.”

The taste tester has spoken!

Making this mozzarella stuffed chicken is super easy so honestly, it doesn’t take much more effort than making my usual boring chicken which is nice. I added some veggies and a side of pasta tossed with garlic and olive oil and we had a nice meal that tasted almost like something I might have picked up at a local Italian restaurant. (Ok, tooting my own horn here a bit! Ha!)

And that is a winner, winner, chicken dinner!

What to serve with this Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken:

• I will be the first to tell you this is great with PASTA! A good Italian dish should always be served with pasta right? Toss it with some olive oil and herbs and you are set. Or maybe a bit of your favorite marinara sauce.
• Not sure if this is too much, but my Caprese Farro Salad is a fan fave. Can you really have too much mozzarella, tomato and basil ever???
• A really simple tossed salad–like we are talking one of those kits you buy where everything is included.
• Any and all kinds of bread.
• Your favorite veggie!
• A nice glass of wine–what is your favorite?!

Some things to know about this Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil:

• When putting these stuffed chicken breasts together, using two toothpicks is best to keep everything in place. Plus, it helps if you want to stuff them BIG TIME.
• While you can certainly use shredded mozzarella if that’s what you have, I highly recommend using fresh mozzarella. The flavor, the melt, everything about it is just the best.
• When slicing the chicken for stuffing, try to do it so that top and bottom half are of equal thickness. This will ensure that both parts cook at an even rate and one does not dry out.
• You can make these ahead of time and let them sit in the fridge for the day and then pop them in the oven before dinner. That always helps when it comes to meal time for me!

Looking for more dinner inspiration? Check these recipes out!

Also, you can never go wrong with these from The Kitchn. Saving this one for when I am really out of ideas for the night!

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Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil

Chicken for dinner doesn't have to be the same old and it doesn't have to be complicated either. This simple Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with fresh basil and tomato makes dinner worth repeating! Ready in 30 minutes and packed with flavor-- a Caprese salad right in your chicken!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (3 if large in size)
• 4 1/2 in. slices fresh mozzarella (log or ball)
• 10-12 basil leaves
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 tsp balsamic
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Sea salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Slice tomatoes and chop basil. Add to a small bowl and toss with balsamic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, one garlic clove and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Season each chicken breast with salt, pepper and garlic (using the other clove) on both sides.Use a sharp knife to cut through the middle of each chicken breast but not all the way through. Gently stuff each piece of chicken with one slice of mozzarella halved. Add the tomato basil mixture and then toothpick each end to hold.
• Place each chicken breast in a greased baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
• Allow to rest for several minutes before serving!