Oven-Baked Chicken Breast with Tomato and Mozzarella

I’ll be happy to help you prepare a delicious oven-baked Caprese-style chicken breast, a variant that combines the classic oven-baked chicken breast with the freshness of tomato and the stringy mozzarella. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 buffalo mozzarella (or fior di latte)
• Dried oregano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil (optional)
• Garlic powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preheating the oven to 200 °C.
2. Take the chicken breasts and, if necessary, flatten them slightly with a meat mallet to achieve an even thickness. This will help the chicken cook uniformly.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and season them with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and, if you like, a pinch of garlic powder to add an extra touch of flavor.
4. Bake the chicken and cook for about 20 minutes or until it is almost fully cooked. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
5. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into slices about half a centimeter thick.
6. Once the chicken is almost cooked, remove the tray from the oven and arrange on the chicken breast first the tomato slices, then a sprinkle of dried oregano, and finally the mozzarella slices.
7. Return the tray to the oven and continue cooking until the mozzarella has melted and starts to brown. This should take about 10 minutes, but keep an eye on the oven to prevent the surface from burning.
8. Once the chicken is out of the oven, garnish it with fresh basil to add color and freshness to the dish.

And now a little curiosity: The tomato-mozzarella pairing is typical of Caprese, a simple appetizer loved worldwide for its balance of flavors and colors that recall the Italian flag. With this dish, you bring a touch of Italianness to the table even if you’re preparing a recipe that isn’t strictly Italian. Buon appetito!