Easy Tuscan Chicken with Spices, Olive Oil and Cherry Tomatoes – Chunks of Mozzarella Cheese
Chicken coated with a delicious blend of spices and then cooked in olive oil with cherry tomatoes added for even more taste. A delicious combination of flavors from the Tuscan Valley. Serve this dish over rice with a glass of Pinot Noir or Zinfandel wine.
We prefer cherry tomatoes for this dish with softer outside skins. Cook the tomatoes as long as you like, but at least for 5 minutes.
This Easy, Healthy and Delicious Tuscan Chicken Recipe - Perfect Blend of Spices and Flavor.
- 1-1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded or chunks
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon rosemary
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
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Mix together all of the seasonings.
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Coat both sides of chicken with oil using 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with seasonings and let sit for 10 minutes.
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Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a large skillet with a lid. Lightly brown both sides of the chicken, about 3 minutes per side.
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Remove chicken to a plate. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and sprinkle with seasoning.
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Cook tomatoes for about 5 minutes, or until soft, stirring often. Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary.
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Add the chicken back to the pan and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and cover. Let simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
It's fine to have leftover seasonings. Just make another batch and add the leftovers to that batch. Seal in a small container and save.
There is one important step you should always take when pan frying chicken breasts. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before adding them to the pan and cooking them.
When each piece of chicken is the same size, they will cook at the same rate. Pounding helps to ensure all pieces are the same size. Pounding the chicken also tenderizes the meat, making the cooked chicken more tender.
First, coat the chicken pieces with olive oil and then sprinkle on the spice mixture. Let this sit for about 10 minutes.
Toss in chunks of Mozzarella cheese and let melt throughout the tomatoes. Add some additional spice mixture to taste.
