A delicious dinner recipe, that can be prepped ahead of time! Fresh and zesty, this Baked Margherita Chicken is a crowd pleaser!
It’s the weekly installment of “Confessions with Shugary Sweets” today!
Seriously guys, I’m not sure why I feel compelled to share some of these things with you, but here goes.
Hi, my name is Aimee, and I’m obsessed with frozen margherita pizzas. Like, the cheaper the better, frozen pizzas.
Often, if I’m not eating rice krispie treats or snickerdoodle cheesecake bars for lunch, I will stick one of these frozen pizzas in the oven for myself.
In my healthier eating 2015 plan, it occurred to me that pizza for lunch probably isn’t the best option (I’m not going to comment though on the cheesecake bars, haha). So, why not make my favorite pizza for dinner? But with no crust, you know, to save some carbs!?!
I did overcompensate the “no crust” by adding plenty of cheese. I used sliced mozzarella, but shredded would work fine too!
The best part of this dinner (well, besides the fact that it tastes AMAZING), is that you can prep it ahead of time!
I’ve mentioned (a million times probably) that I love getting my dinners prepped early in the day. If I’m not using a slow cooker, then I like meals that can be made in advance.
How to make Baked Margherita Chicken
Today’s recipe is the perfect meal. I placed the large boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a 13×9 baking dish.
I whipped up a quick tomato basil topping and dumped that over the chicken (you could use homemade bruschetta too).
Cover the dish with foil and stick it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. Bake covered.
Then remove the foil, top with cheese and bake until melty! I served ours with a nice big salad, but if you feel you want the carbs, serve it on top of some angel hair pasta!
More Dinner Recipes:
- Italian Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Greek Chicken Skewers
- Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Jambalaya Chicken
- More Main Dish Ideas!
Baked Margherita Chicken
Delicious, easy baked chicken recipe! Prep ahead of time for busy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup snipped, fresh basil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine diced tomatoes, diced red onion, basil, balsamic vinegar and salt in a bowl. Place chicken breasts in a 13x9 baking dish. Pour tomato mixture over top.
- Cover dish with foil. You can either refrigerate and bake later (within 12 hours) or bake immediately. Bake in a 350 degree oven, covered, for about 40-45 minutes (until chicken is completely cooked, 165 degree with meat thermometer).
- Remove foil and top with mozzeralla cheese. I used sliced cheese, but shredded would work well too. Place dish back in oven on top rack. Bake 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately with a fresh salad or angel hair pasta. ENJOY.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 325Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 711mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 52g
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.
An oven meal is my favorite and so is this chicken margharita now that we’ve tried it! The balsamic vinegar makes the sauce so speciall! Thank you!
Love this recipe – looks really great and you don’t need a lot of time to prepare it. I’ll try it tonight, thanks for sharing = )
Wow – this looks delicious Aimee! And thanks for linking to our Sweet & Sour Chicken recipe too!
Anytime Martha 🙂
I love this idea! Much healthier than a pizza, but just as delicious. Though I may still want to have some garlic bread with it 🙂
Oh garlic bread is a must 🙂
Aimee – What a great way to eat your favorite flavors and save some calories along the way. I love balsamic on chicken. This recipe is something that I am going to make very soon!
Thanks Erin. ENJOY 🙂
I get it, Margherita pizza is deeeelish. and so is this chicken!!!!
Agreed 100%!
Margherita pizzas are the best! Have you tried the Amy’s brand pizza? They have the best margherita. I would also love my margherita flavors baked with chicken. This recipe is perfect for dinner!
OMG YES! That’s my favorite one 🙂 Although…it’s not the cheapest…haha
I feel ya on the frozen pizzas. But I also crave super fancy gourmet pizza. I just never want delivery. Ever. Is that weird?
Nope. Not weird. It’s Digiorno. Hahaha.
This chicken looks amazing Aimee! Can’t wait to give it a try!
This looks so cheesy and flavorful – LOVE IT! What an easy weeknight meal!
Frozen pizza – should be so bad – but is just the opposite! Love this chicken recipe, am going to give it a go! Thanks for the inspiration. Sammie x http://www.feastingisfun.com
Thanks for stopping by Sammie 🙂
We have a love affair with those easy breezy pizzas too. They are just so easy to throw in the oven. Although I am loving how easy and delicious this chicken is too! We make something similar but different here in the oven too!
This is a brilliant idea! I love all things Margherita! I need to make this soon.
Oh my word, this recipe speaks to me! It says, “make me now”! It’s like… the perfect weeknight dinner. Simple ingredients, few steps = delicious home cooked, wonderful tasting meal! I love it, love it, love it. I know it’s going to be a staple in my house! Great recipe, Aimee!
Thanks Heather. I hope you try it and love it 🙂
I absolutely love a simple Margherita Pizza!! This chicken looks amazing – perfect for a quick weeknight meal or for company!
I’ve been in a dinner rut lately, and this looks like the perfect meal to snap me out of it! Pinned!
I totally love that these can be prepped in advance — what an awesome time-saver for hectic weeknights! Nicely done.
Oh my gosh, you did it – a love affair between chicken and pizza margherita, which I am also obsessed with. Score!
Ok, I might be REALLY late to the party here, but I just saw your redesign and I LOVE IT OH MY GOSH! SO CUTE!!
Now, about this chicken. Confession: I also ADORE frozen Margherita pizzas….so this chicken is obviously happening to my face! Pinned!
Awww thanks Taylor. I love the site design too 🙂 Thanks for pinning!!
I love cheap frozen margherita pizza too! It’s so good! Ha! And another confession is that I am also HORRIBLE at getting my act together in time for dinner. The struggle is real. I need more make ahead dishes like this in my life. Looks great, Aimee!
That struggle is totally real. I have the same one 🙂