This mozzarella chicken with mushrooms makes a delicious quick dinner. It’s such a comfort food but it doesn’t take hours to make. Pan-fried chicken breast is topped with sauteed mushrooms and gooey melted mozzarella cheese. Served with spaghetti and marinara sauce is all you want for a weeknight dinner.
If you like chicken with mushrooms you may also want to try this mushroom stuffed chicken breast.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this delicious dinner:
- chicken breasts
- mushrooms – buttom mushrooms or more flavorful cremini mushrooms, fresh porcini mushrooms would also be great, you can omit the mushrooms completely if you don’t like them
- marinara sauce – you can use good-quality store-bought sauce or make my homemade marinara sauce
- seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika
- cheese: I used mozzarella but any other melting cheese will do (for example gruyere or provolone)
- spaghetti – or other pasta type such as penne or fusilli
Step by step instructions
Preheat the oven on the broiler setting with oven rack on the top shelf (the oven is used to melt and brown the cheese, if you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can melt the cheese by covering the pan with a lid and cooking the dish until the cheese is melted but I think browning the cheese under the broiler adds a little bit more flavor).
Cook the pasta al dente (it should have a bite to it).
STEP 1: Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally (parallel to your cutting board). If there are parts of the meat that are still very thick, pound them slightly with a meat mallet. You want the meat to be of even thickness, but don’t pound the meat very thin, like for cutlets.
Rub the chicken on both sides with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
STEP 2: Cut the mushrooms into 1/4-inch (5mm) slices.
Heat the oil in a oven-proof large frying pan (if you don’t have such pan, you can use any pan and then transfer the chicken to a baking dish, such as pie dish). Add the mushrooms and cook them over medium-high heat until browned and soft. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
STEP 3: Add the chicken to the pan. Cook it over high heat until browned on both sides. You want the chicken almost cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
STEP 4: Spread 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce in the pan (or in an oven-safe baking dish).
STEP 5: Place the chicken on top. Top the chicken with sauteed mushrooms.
STEP 6: Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned (keep an eye on the cheese, it can brown very quickly!).
Now your chicken should be completely cooked through but check to be sure.
How to know if the chicken is cooked through?
The best way to check if the chicken is cooked is to measure its temperature with a thermometer. Insert it in the middle of the thickest section of the meat, it should register160°F (71°C). The chicken should then come to the safe temperature of 165°F (74°C) while resting.
Serve the chicken with cooked pasta and some extra marinara sauce.
Enjoy!
Storage
This dish keeps very well. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in a microwave or in the oven. Place the dish in a cold oven then set it to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until warm.
Store the pasta and tomato sauce separately in order to prevent pasta from becoming mushy.
The chicken with mushrooms, cheese, and tomato sauce can also be frozen (I don’t recommend freezing pasta). Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge then reheat like described above.
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Mozzarella chicken with mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons frying oil
- 7 oz button mushrooms 200g
- 2 large chicken breasts 1 lb/450g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 150g
- 9 oz spaghetti 250g
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven on the broiler setting with oven rack on the top shelf (the oven is used to melt and brown the cheese, if you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can melt the cheese by covering the pan with a lid and cooking the dish until the cheese is melted but I think browning the cheese under the broiler adds a little bit more flavor).
- Cook the pasta al dente (it should have a bite to it).
- Cut the mushrooms into 1/4-inch (5mm) slices.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally (parallel to your cutting board) so you have 4 thinner cutlets. If there are parts of the meat that are still very thick, pound them slightly with a meat mallet. You want the meat to be of even thickness, but don't pound the meat very thin, like for breaded chicken cutlets.
- Rub the chicken on both sides with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a oven-proof large frying pan (if you don’t have such pan, you can use any pan and then transfer the chicken to a baking dish, such as pie dish). Add the mushrooms and cook them over medium-high heat until browned and soft. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
- Add the chicken to the pan. Cook it over high heat until browned on both sides. You want the chicken almost cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce in the pan (or in an oven-safe baking dish), place the chicken on top. Top the chicken with sauteed mushrooms and shredded cheese.
- Bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned (keep an eye on the cheese, it can brown very quickly!).
- Serve the chicken with cooked pasta and some extra marinara sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can omit the mushrooms completely if you don’t like them.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/4 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
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