Baked Balsamic Chicken Recipe
This one-pan balsamic chicken is one of those recipes I’ve made so many times it feels second nature now. What started as a quick weeknight dinner has turned into a true reader favorite, with over 200 five-star reviews from trusted readers who rely on it again and again. This recipe is foolproof, flavorful, and works year-round.
For more one pan meals, try our basil chicken.
Balsamic Glazed Chicken
I always sear the chicken breasts first to build flavor, then make a from-scratch balsamic sauce right in the same pan. There are no bottled glazes or shortcuts here. Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil go on at the end so everything finishes together in the oven, keeping the chicken juicy and tender. This is my favorite method for cooking chicken breast, and it’s one I continue to come back to.
This is the kind of meal I make when time is tight but I still want dinner to feel special. It’s weeknight friendly and perfect served over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta to soak up every bit of that sauce.
Video: How to Make One Pan Balsamic Chicken
Balsamic Chicken Ingredients
- balsamic vinegar
- honey
- avocado oil
- garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Dijon mustard
- grape tomatoes
- mozzarella balls
- fresh basil
- chicken breast
- salt and pepper
Can I Use Boneless Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you just have to adjust the cooking time. Thighs cook really fast so I recommend checking for doneness after 7-10 minutes. Also, since thighs are more tender and juicy than chicken breast, there’s no need to pound them.
How to Make Balsamic Chicken
1. Whisk together the ingredients for the balsamic sauce.
2. In a separate bowl, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
3. Over high heat, cook the chicken breast until lightly golden brown. Add balsamic sauce and bring to a simmer.
4. Top with tomato mozzarella. Bake at 400F until chicken is cooked through.
What to Serve with Balsamic Chicken
This one pan balsamic chicken is a great dish to pair with something to soak up the delicious pan juices and sauce. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
- Pineapple Rice
- Cauliflower and Ricotta Mash
- Egg noodles
- Roasted vegetables
- Quinoa
More One-Pan Meals
- Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken
- Thai Chicken and Cabbage Skillet
- Orecchiette with Baked Mini Meatballs
- Chicken and Quinoa in Mustard Sauce
- Chicken with Zucchini and Corn
More Favorites from Little Broken
Balsamic Glazed One Pan Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
One-pan balsamic chicken is such a flavorful weeknight dinner. Made with simple ingredients and easy steps!
Ingredients
Sauce
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. oil, such as avocado or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Tomato Mozzarella
- 8 oz. grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or pearls)
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
Chicken
- 2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
- 2 Tbsp. avocado oil or other high-heat oil
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, to taste. When the pan is hot and oil is shimmering, add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly golden brown. Add the balsamic sauce mixture. It should quickly come to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the tomato mozzarella mixture over the chicken.
- Bake uncovered for 18-23 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Internal temperature should register at 165F. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Mozzarella: If using ciliegine mozzarella, also known as “cherry size” fresh mozzarella then cut it in half. If using “pearls” which are smaller size mozzarella balls, then no need to cut in half.
- Chicken: To pound the chicken, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or into a gallon size Ziploc bag, and using a mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to even thickness. Make sure not to skip this step. It helps the chicken cook evenly, tenderizes the meat, and results in moist meat.
- Original Recipe: This recipe was originally published on 9/28/17 and did not include balsamic vinegar. Instead, the recipe relied on a combination of ingredients that resembled the taste of balsamic vinegar. However, it ended up being too confusing to so many readers so we decided to rewrite the recipe to include balsamic vinegar. Here is the old version of the recipe: ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup tomato sauce, ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 ½ Tbsp.), 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness), 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 8 oz. grape tomatoes, halved, 8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine), 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil, Kosher salt and fresh black pepper . In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, tomato sauce, and lemon juice. Add chicken tossing to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Melt butter over high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown, seasoning both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Immediately, off heat, top the chicken with tomato mozzarella mixture and bake uncovered for 18-23 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 6 oz. chicken with sauce
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 9.4 g
- Sodium: 530.2 mg
- Fat: 17.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
- Protein: 40.3 g
- Cholesterol: 93.5 mg
Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Can a make a large portion and then freeze some?
You can definitely double the recipe and it should freeze okay.
Love this – every single time I make it!!
One of my husband’s favorites
BIG hit with the family!!! EASY to prepare and very YUMMY. Served with spaghetti squash!! It is now in the dinner rotation
My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe. It was so easy to prepare, chicken was tender and had a lot of flavor.
850ml sodium per serving? You noted the sodium had been updated. Is this the correct amount?
Thanks for noting that. I just refreshed the recipe and it looks like it’s been updated. If you’re concerned with sodium, you can substitute with reduced sodium shredded mozzarella cheese in place of the balls.
I’m using thin chicken breasts what’s best way to cook to make sure sauce gets thick still too .. just cast iron or bake still as well?
I would still bake but just not as long. Without knowing how thin your chicken breasts are, I would say start at 10-12 minutes and add on time as needed.
So good! My husband loved it
Can anyone tell me if this is gluten free?
Hi! This recipe is gluten-free.
how can you cut the sodium content?
Thanks for catching that! There was a glitch in the sodium calculation but since been updated.
My husband and I love this recipe! I have made it several times e cause we had so many cherry tomatoes this year. We can’t get enough of this dish. It has such a great flavor. I even made for our toddler granddaughters and they ate it all up. Thanks for posting. This is a real winner!
This is such a wonderful recipe and very easy to make. The ingredients are at my local market. It has been added to my regular dinner recipes. Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.
I think it would be better with the sauce being more the consistency of a gravy. Otherwise the flavor is great!
this has quickly become a family favorite. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand, except mozzarella pearls, which I can grab easily. love this with orzo, seems like a natural pairing. thanks so much from my entire family, even my 7 yr old picky granddaughter!
What do you serve this with rice?
You can do rice, pasta, or even something creamy to soak up the sauce, such as mashed potatoes.
I forgot to grab balsamic vinegar what can I substitute with
I haven’t tried a substitute but red wine vinegar + extra honey or maple syrup might possibly work.
Delicious! Super easy and I have most of the ingredients around the house so a “go-to” recipe when in a hurry. Next time I’d serve with orzo pasta instead of penne to absorb the sauce.
Delicious! Made the entire thing in my cast iron. (Did not put in the oven) Easy!
I wanted to mention that the photo of the ingredients was tremendously helpful to me. I never realized how visually oriented I was until I saw a recipe that had a photo of each ingredient in one place. SO helpful!
Thank you Barbara! I so appreciate that feedback.
I’m trying to find a non-cow dairy cheese to substitute for the mozzarella. is there a Sheep’s milk mozzarella anywhere?
You can simply try some goat cheese. It will definitely taste different but still give you a creamy component. I’m not sure if there’s a sheep’s milk mozzarella substitute.