Name: Baked Garlic Butter Chicken with Mozzarella
Prep time: PT-496513H32M6S
Cook time: PT-496513H32M6S
Total time: PT-496513H32M6S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ pounds chicken breasts (4 breasts); 4 cups water; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium); ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ¼ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium); 4 tablespoons cold butter (cut into small cubes); 10 cloves garlic (4 minced, 6 whole); ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon chopped thyme (or ¼ dried); ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 – 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped, for topping)

Description

The easiest garlic butter baked chicken with mozzarella. Tender chicken breasts cooked in garlic butter sauce then topped with shredded mozzarella cheese. Comes with the most flavorful pan sauce for your quinoa, rice, pasta, or veggies!

Ingredients

Scale

1½ pounds chicken breasts (4 breasts)
4 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
4 tablespoons cold butter (cut into small cubes)
10 cloves garlic (4 minced, 6 whole)
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon chopped thyme (or ¼ dried)
¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 – 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped, for topping)

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Instructions

Step: BRINE: Add the water, salt, sugar, and soy sauce to a medium bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the chicken breasts and allow them to marinate for as little as 15 minutes, or ideally 4-12 hours. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Step: SAUCE: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the chicken broth, minced garlic, and allow the chicken broth to come to a boil, then lower the heat so it just simmers. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon of butter, remove the pan from heat and swirl so the butter starts to melt or use a whisk to melt the butter. Place back on the heat for a few seconds, remove and continue to swirl until butter melts. Repeat with the remaining butter. When the butter has completely melted and thickened the sauce, remove from the stove. Stir in the pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
Step: ASSEMBLE: Remove the chicken breasts from the brine and pat dry using a paper towel. Combine the remaining onion powder, thyme, and garlic powder in a small bowl and sprinkle over the chicken breasts evenly. Place the chicken breasts in an oven-safe baking dish. Carefully pour the prepared sauce around the chicken breasts and drop the 6 remaining whole garlic cloves into the broth.
Step: BAKE: Bake uncovered for 19-25 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked through (it should register 165F on a thermometer.) Add the mozzarella cheese to the chicken breasts and broil just long enough for the cheese to melt. Top with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Notes

I suggest shredding your own mozzarella for this recipe. Pre-shredded mozzarella didn’t yield such great results for me, unfortunately!

Prep Time: PT10M
Cook Time: PT25M
Category: Chicken
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 breast
Calories: 467 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 850 mg
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 11 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 48 g
Cholesterol: 160 mg