This chicken mozzarella bake is a simple chicken dish made with juicy and tender chicken breasts, marinara sauce, and plenty of melty mozzarella.
It’s simple comfort food with amazing flavors, and it all comes together in one baking dish. With minimal cleanup, it’s one of my favorite meals to make on busy weeknights.
It can also be prepped the night before and baked the following day. It reheats well too, which is why I always look forward to leftovers. Everyone will love it!
This chicken mozzarella bake is the perfect recipe for busy days when you want a delicious meal with minimal effort. It’s all made in one single baking pan, with no pre-searing required. 30 minutes is all it takes!
This cozy and cheese bake is made with juicy, seasoned chicken breasts nestled in a basil marinara sauce, then topped with cheese. Then into the oven it goes until it is golden brown on top and bubbly. It’s saucy, cheesy, and the ultimate in comfort food for weeknights.
This chicken mozzarella bake recipe is quick to assemble and virtually effortless. I keep it in rotation along with Chicken Florentine, Creamy Lemon Chicken, and Chicken Margherita to add variety to my chicken dishes.
Pair it with an Italian Chopped Salad, along with your favorite bread, and dinner is ready!
Looking for another one pan baked chicken recipe? Try my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes.
Why I love making this chicken mozzarella bake:
- Comfort food: Any type of chicken bake is cozy, but when it involves melty cheese, like in this chicken mozzarella bake, it’s even better!
- A one pan meal: Not only does it make it a simple recipe, but cleanup is easier too.
- Super easy! Truly, minimal prep required, and ready in just 30 minutes. Leftovers reheat very well too.
- Simple ingredients: You may already have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry. There is nothing complicated here.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients to make my chicken mozzarella bake. Below, I included a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful. Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Make sure they are about the same size for even cooking.
- Marinara sauce: Pick up your favorite store-bought jar, or if you happen to have some homemade marinara sauce you want to use up, go for it.
- Fresh basil: Gives the sauce a fresh element. Basil, tomato sauce, and mozzarella go hand in hand in so many delicious dishes.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cut in halves. Adds a touch of freshness in addition to the marinara.
- Shredded mozzarella: Feel free to use pre-shredded mozzarella (preferably whole milk mozzarella rather than part-skim), or sliced fresh mozzarella. Their textures are different. Shredded mozzarella is low moisture and more melty, while fresh mozzarella can be a bit chewy.
- Garlic powder and Italian seasoning: Both spices add fantastic flavor, and are pantry staples.
- Salt and pepper: The dynamic duo!
- Chopped Italian parsley for garnish.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Like I mentioned earlier, there is very little prep involved in this chicken mozzarella bake. And I truly mean it. Let’s make it together!
Step 1 | Season the chicken and prep sauce
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season with drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub the oil and seasoning on the chicken to make sure it’s evenly coated. Set aside.
Then, combine the marinara and basil in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed, but the sauce should be plenty seasoned already.
Step 2 | Assemble and bake
Next, nestle the seasoned chicken over the sauce, and surround the chicken with the halved cherry tomatoes. Bake in the preheated oven until fully cooked through in the center for 20–25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts.
The most accurate way to tell whether the chicken is done is by using an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees F in the center.
Step 3 | Melt the cheese
Then, remove from the oven and generously top the chicken with shredded mozzarella. Return to the oven and place it under the broiler for 2 or 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown. Keep your eye on it so that the cheese doesn’t burn. Trust me, it happens quickly!
Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy while warm and melty.
Prep Ahead and Freezing
Make Ahead: Assemble the dish (without the cheese), cover it in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to cook, remove the cover and bake according to recipe directions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time as needed until the chicken is cooked through. Top with cheese and broil.
Freeze (cooked): Once the baked chicken mozzarella has cooled down completely, store it in a freezer-safe container and keep frozen for up to a month. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight first and then reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. If you want to, melt more cheese on top.
This chicken mozzarella bake is also meal prep friendly! You can make this up to 3 days ahead. The cheese reheats very well once microwaved.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
A hearty, filling, and comforting meal needs a comforting side dish like a basket of Cheesy Garlic Bread! It’s also the perfect accompaniment to pasta recipes like this Creamy Tomato Pasta or my Creamy Lemon Pasta.
Amazing salads you may like to pair it with: Italian Chopped Salad, Tomato Burrata Salad, or a classic Panzanella Salad.
More one pan chicken recipes:
Recipe FAQs
Not needed. In many cases, browning the chicken first is a great idea to lock in moisture and add even more flavor, but for this time-saving recipe, we don’t need to. The saucy, cheesy goodness gives it tons of flavor and keeps the chicken nice and moist.
Depending on the temperature of the oven and the thickness of your meat, the time may vary slightly, but usually 20–25 minutes at 400 degrees F should be enough. As always, the best way to tell if your chicken is cooked through is to use a thermometer.
Yes, you can assemble the dish (without the cheese) and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake the next day, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time since the chicken may be a bit cold. Then, top with cheese and broil as directed.
Tips for Success
- Make sure to use chicken breasts of about the same size for even cooking. Feel free to add extra seasonings of your choice to the chicken.
- Before melting the cheese, make sure the chicken is fully cooked through in the center. It should register 165 degrees F.
- I recommend using whole milk shredded mozzarella (instead of part-skim) because it melts a lot better. You can use the pre-packaged shredded mozzarella cheese, which is always low moisture and melts beautifully.
- If you want to, you can also use sliced fresh mozzarella (they usually come in 8-ounce balls). However, the texture may be a bit chewier than shredded mozzarella.
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Chicken Mozzarella Bake
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- 1 14-ounce jar marinara sauce - your favorite brand
- ⅓ cup sliced fresh basil, semi-packed - omit if don’t have fresh
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes - cut into halves
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - packed, plus more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season each chicken breast with a few drizzles of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Set aside.
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine marinara sauce with the sliced basil. If desired, season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste, but I didn’t find the need to.
- Place the seasoned chicken on top of the marinara. Then, arrange the cherry tomato halves around the chicken on the baking pan.
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center registers 165 degrees F, depending on the thickness.
- Then, remove from the oven and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown on top. Note: Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn, as broiling happens very fast.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while still warm and melty. Enjoy!
Notes
- Mozzarella: Use pre-shredded mozzarella (preferably whole milk mozzarella instead of part-skim). Shredded mozzarella has a lower moisture content and melts more smoothly. If you can’t find it, fresh mozzarella works too, but can be slightly chewy when cooked.
- Broiling the cheese takes only 2 minutes or so. It happens fast, so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
- Make ahead: Assemble the dish without cheese, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Before baking, uncover and cook as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed. Top with cheese and broil.
- Freeze (cooked): Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat at 350F until warmed, adding more cheese if desired.
- Meal prep: Make up to 3 days ahead. Reheat in the microwave oven until warm and the cheese is melted again.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless chicken thighs.
- Feel free to add extra seasoning of your choice to the chicken.
Jodi says
This was so easy and delicious! I used Rao’s marinara and kept the cherry tomatoes whole so they were easier for my husband to dodge who doesn’t like veggies, lol. I served it with a side of buttered rotini. Definitely going into the rotation!
Tania says
Hi Jodi! Thank you so much, I’m so happy you all enjoyed it.