Basil Mozzarella Chicken

by Heather Belcher

Prep Time: 1-2 hours (marinating)

Cooking Time: 30-45 min

Makes : about 6 servings

Marinade ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

2 cloves minced garlic (use more if you love garlic!)

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Other ingredients:

6-8 boneless chicken breasts

6 medium plum tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp salt

8 oz fresh mozzarella (buffalo) cheese, chopped into bite size pieces (you can get the large ball & chop up, or I get the container of small balls and cut balls in half)

¼ cup fresh chopped basil leaves

Directions:

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and pour over the chicken breasts.  Marinate at least one hour, but no longer than 3 hours.

Meanwhile, quarter the plum tomatoes and place in a large baking dish.  Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt.  Bake at 375, for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, and pour tomatoes (and juices) into a large bowl.  Add chopped basil and mozzarella to the bowl and set aside.

Bake chicken (discard marinade) in same baking dish at 375 for 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and pour tomato/cheese mixture over chicken.  Place back in the oven until cheese is melted.

I usually serve this with plain or buttered pasta and pour the juices over the pasta.  My kids’ favorite meal!!

Now, when I read that this was her kids favorite meal, I started to doubt her.  Cooked tomatoes are not really a favorite at my house and I was a bit skeptical about this one, but I was wrong.  It was so yummy!  The tomatoes were probably my favorite part.  The sugar and olive oil on them does something that makes them such a joy to my taste buds.  So when I make this again, I will…

Use more tomatoes (lots maybe even double) and less chicken.  I cut up the chicken and mixed everything with some buttered spaghetti.  After cutting it up and mixing with the pasta, I didn’t need as much chicken, but it could use some more topping.  All of my kids loved it.