Italian Baked Chicken Breast stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
Tomato-Parmesan Baked Chicken for Busy Weeknights
A quick sear, a bright tomato glaze, and a shower of Parmesan and mozzarella create juicy, flavorful chicken that works for dinners and meal prep alike.
Nothing ruins a weeknight like dry chicken breast — this version solves that with a simple sear-then-bake trick and a saucy finish. Searing the breasts until golden locks in juices, then finishing them in a tomato-garlic pan sauce keeps the meat tender while the tomatoes simmer into a slightly sweet, savory glaze.
The topping is where this dish sings: crushed tomatoes and halved cherry tomatoes give fresh pop, sautéed onion and garlic round out the base, and a hit of lemon brightens everything. A scattering of red pepper flakes adds gentle warmth while Parmesan and melted mozzarella give a salty, creamy crust that makes every forkful sing.
It’s an ideal protein-forward anchor — four decent portions that slice neatly for salads, grain bowls, or classic plates with roasted vegetables and quick-cooked pasta. It reheats well because of the sauce, so you can make a batch for the week and skip the midweek dinner scramble.
Small practical notes: do the sear in an ovenproof skillet to save dishes, and finish in a 400°F (200°C) oven so the cheese browns and the chicken reaches a safe, juicy doneness. Swap the heat level or cheeses to suit your pantry — the technique is forgiving and keeps the chicken moist every time.
Ingredients
How to Make Italian Baked Chicken Breast
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roughly chop the onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, and mince the garlic.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; sear the chicken 2 minutes per side until golden (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, sauté the onion 3–4 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, remaining Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt; simmer 4–5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet nestling into the tomato mixture; sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the sauce around the chicken.
- Top each breast with shredded mozzarella and transfer the skillet to the oven; bake uncovered 18–22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
- If you want browned cheese, switch to broil for 1–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped basil, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve family-style; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Card
Italian Baked Chicken Breast
Italian Baked Chicken Breast stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roughly chop the onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, and mince the garlic.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; sear the chicken 2 minutes per side until golden (it will finish cooking in the oven). Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, sauté the onion 3–4 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, remaining Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt; simmer 4–5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet nestling into the tomato mixture; sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the sauce around the chicken.
- Top each breast with shredded mozzarella and transfer the skillet to the oven; bake uncovered 18–22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
- If you want browned cheese, switch to broil for 1–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped basil, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve family-style; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 10
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Sodium
- 1250
- Fiber
- 1.8
- Unsaturated Fat
- 16
- Protein
- 72
- Fat
- 22
- Cholesterol
- 160
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 542
- Sugar
- 5