Cheesy Mozzarella Chicken (Print)

Tender chicken smothered with marinara and mozzarella, baked until golden. A quick meal the whole family will love.

# Ingredients:

01 - 1 cup of mozzarella, shredded
02 - 4 big chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
03 - 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
04 - 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce
05 - A sprinkle of garlic powder (1/2 tsp)
06 - A couple of tablespoons of olive oil
07 - Salt and pepper to your liking

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and make sure the rack is set in the center spot.
02 - Lay out the chicken breasts and sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper on both sides.
03 - In a large pan, warm up the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until both sides turn golden, about 5 minutes each. Move the chicken to a greased 9x13 dish afterward.
04 - Spoon the marinara sauce over the chicken, making sure it covers each piece evenly.
05 - Top the chicken with a layer of parmesan, followed by mozzarella.
06 - Bake without covering for around 20 minutes, or 15 minutes if your chicken is smaller. Turn on the broiler at the end and let the cheese brown gently—keep an eye so it doesn’t burn!
07 - Give the chicken 5 minutes to rest before digging in. It’s safely cooked when the inside hits 165°F.

# Notes:

01 - Don’t want to sear the chicken? Skip it and start with seasoned raw chicken in the dish. Just bake it for at least 30 minutes or until the inside is 165°F.
02 - Different breast sizes cook differently, so use a meat thermometer to make sure they don’t over/under cook.
03 - If you’ve got a big oven-safe skillet, skip transferring and finish everything in the same pan!