Baked Chicken Breast with Tomato and Mozzarella (30 Minutes)

Why this recipe works

Chicken breast dries out because the thin end is overcooked by the time the thick end is safe to eat. If you flatten the thick end to about 3/4 inch, the whole piece finishes at the same moment.

Baking at 425°F cooks the chicken through in about 20 minutes, so it has less time to lose moisture than it would at 350°F. Salting it while the oven heats seasons the meat below the surface and helps it hold on to its juices.

The cheese goes on for the last 5 minutes only. That's enough time for it to melt and start to blister, but not enough for it to turn greasy. It also covers the top of the chicken during the final minutes, when the meat is most likely to dry out.

Ingredient notes

Chicken breasts: Look for boneless, skinless breasts of 7 to 9 ounces each. Some supermarket breasts weigh 12 ounces or more. Slice those in half horizontally into two cutlets, or they'll need 5 to 10 extra minutes. If the label says "enhanced" or "contains up to 15% solution," the chicken has already been salted, so cut the salt in half.

Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella, sliced from a ball, gives soft, milky pools of cheese like the ones in the photo. It's wet, so pat the slices dry with a paper towel. Low-moisture shredded mozzarella browns more and releases less water. Both work.

Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes have less juice and seeds than slicing tomatoes, which keeps the pan from flooding. Cut them into 1/4-inch slices so they soften in 5 minutes.

Seasoning: Use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic here. Minced garlic burns on top of the chicken at 425°F. Dried Italian seasoning works on the chicken, but save the basil for the end and use it fresh. Dried basil doesn't taste the same.

How to make baked chicken breast

Heat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, put each breast in a zip-top bag and pound the thick end with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet until the whole piece is about 3/4 inch thick. Pat it dry, then season it with salt, olive oil and the spice mix.

Bake the plain chicken for 15 minutes. At that point the outside should be opaque and the edges just starting to turn golden. Layer on the mozzarella and tomato, then bake 4 to 6 minutes more, until the cheese has melted and has a few golden spots.

Stick an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part. Chicken breast is done at 165°F. Let it rest on the pan for 5 minutes before you cut it so the juices stay in the meat instead of running onto the board.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Dry, stringy chicken: Either it baked too long or the breast was uneven. Pound it flat and start checking the temperature at the 18-minute mark. A minute or two past 165°F makes a noticeable difference with breast meat.

Watery pan: The water comes from fresh mozzarella and juicy tomatoes. Pat both dry. If your tomatoes are very ripe, salt the slices and let them drain on a paper towel for 10 minutes while the chicken bakes.

Pale chicken: A wet surface or a crowded pan steams the chicken. Dry it well and leave at least 2 inches between pieces. If you want more color, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end and stay at the oven, because it browns fast.

Cheese browned before the chicken was cooked: The cheese went on too early. It only needs the last 5 minutes.

Pink or raw in the middle: The breast was thicker than 3/4 inch or still cold from the fridge. Return it to the oven and check every 3 minutes until it reads 165°F.

What to serve with baked chicken breast

Garlic butter orzo or spaghetti with olive oil and garlic catches the tomato juices on the plate. To use the oven you already have going, roast broccoli or green beans at 425°F on a second pan for 15 to 18 minutes. A Caesar salad or an arugula salad with lemon adds crunch and some bitterness against the rich cheese. For a heartier meal, serve crusty garlic bread or roasted baby potatoes. Put the potatoes in 20 minutes before the chicken.