Why You’ll Love This this Crispy Chicken Mozzarella
This crispy chicken mozzarella brings together everything we crave in comfort food – that satisfying crunch from the double-breaded coating, melty cheese that stretches for days, and a rich tomato sauce that ties it all together like a warm hug on a plate.
You get restaurant-quality results without the fuss, since most of the work happens while everything bakes away in the oven, leaving you free to actually enjoy cooking instead of frantically juggling ten different pans.
Plus, with that sneaky variation involving spinach-stuffed chicken breasts, you can pretend you’re being all fancy and sophisticated when really you’re just making dinner taste amazing.
Ingredients List
Here’s everything you need to turn ordinary chicken into something that would make your Italian grandmother nod approvingly.
- 6 chicken fillets
- 1 can tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2-1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2-3/4 cup white wine
- 1/4-1/2 cup water
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese
- Olive oil or butter for frying
- Beaten eggs for coating
- Bread crumbs for coating
- The double-breading might seem like overkill, but trust me, that’s where the magic happens – more coating means more crunch, and who doesn’t want maximum crunch in their life
- You can swap the white wine for extra water if you’re keeping things alcohol-free, though the wine does add a nice depth that makes the sauce taste like it simmered all day
- Fresh mozzarella will get a bit watery, so stick with the regular sliced stuff from the deli counter – it melts better anyway and won’t turn your beautiful dish into a cheese puddle
- Feel free to use chicken breasts instead of fillets, especially if you want to try that fancy spinach-stuffed variation that makes you look like you actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen
Step by Step Directions
This crispy chicken mozzarella transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish that’s surprisingly straightforward to make at home.
- Prepare the chicken coating station – Beat eggs in one bowl and season well with salt and pepper, then place breadcrumbs in another bowl for easy double-dredging.
- Double-bread each chicken fillet – Dip each fillet in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, then repeat the process again for that extra-crispy coating that makes all the difference.
- Fry the chicken until golden – Heat olive oil or butter (or a mix of both) in a large skillet and gently fry the breaded fillets until golden brown on both sides.
- Drain and arrange in baking dish – Transfer the fried chicken to paper towels to drain excess oil, then place in a single layer in your baking dish.
- Make the tomato sauce – Empty the canned tomatoes with juice into a saucepan, mash them up with a potato masher, then stir in tomato paste, crushed garlic, basil, white wine, and water.
- Simmer the sauce – Let the sauce bubble gently for about 10 minutes until it reduces to a rich, thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Top chicken with sauce and cheese – Spoon the sauce over each chicken fillet (save a couple tablespoons for serving), then place a thick slice of mozzarella on each portion.
- Bake until bubbly – Pop into a moderate oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Prepare serving sauce – Thin out the reserved tomato sauce with a little water to create a light gravy for drizzling.
- Serve immediately – Plate with buttered noodles and your choice of vegetables like zucchini and carrots, or alongside a crisp fresh salad. For the most aromatic seasoning blend, use a professional spice grinder to freshly grind your herbs and spices just before adding them to the tomato sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it dairy-free – Skip the cheese altogether and just let that crispy chicken and rich tomato sauce shine, or use your favorite plant-based cheese alternative.
- Switch up the wine – No white wine on hand? A splash of chicken broth or even a bit more water works fine, though you’ll miss that subtle depth of flavor.
- Add vegetables to the sauce – Diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini can bulk up the tomato sauce and sneak in some extra nutrition.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This crispy chicken mozzarella pairs beautifully with so many sides that you’ll never get bored making it on repeat.
- Buttered egg noodles or pasta – The classic choice that soaks up every drop of that gorgeous tomato sauce, because wasting sauce should be illegal.
- Garlic mashed potatoes – Creamy, fluffy clouds that turn this into pure comfort food territory.
- Caesar salad or mixed greens – Something fresh and crisp cuts through all that cheesy, saucy richness perfectly.
- Roasted vegetables – Zucchini, bell peppers, or carrots get caramelized and sweet in the oven while your chicken bakes.
- Crusty Italian bread – For the sauce-sopping enthusiasts among us, and to be frank, that’s everyone.
- Steamed broccoli or green beans – When you want to pretend you’re being healthy while eating breaded, cheesy chicken.
- Rice pilaf or wild rice – A nutty, hearty base that makes the whole meal feel more substantial and filling.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
These little tricks will turn your chicken from good to absolutely restaurant-worthy, trust me on this one.
- Double-dip that breading – Yes, it’s messy and yes, your kitchen will look like a flour bomb went off, but that extra coating creates the crispiest, most golden crust that won’t get soggy under all that sauce.
- Let the chicken rest after breading – Give those crumbs about 10 minutes to set up and bond with the chicken, otherwise they’ll slide right off in the pan like they never knew each other.
- Don’t crowd the pan – Fry in batches if you need to, because cramped chicken steams instead of crisps, and nobody wants sad, pale chicken when golden gorgeousness is just a little patience away.
- Use a meat thermometer – Internal temp should hit 165°F, because guessing games with chicken are never worth the risk, and overcooked chicken is just expensive rubber.
- Save some sauce for serving – That thin tomato gravy mentioned in the recipe is liquid gold for drizzling over everything on the plate.
- Fresh mozzarella vs. regular – Fresh gets melty and gorgeous but can make things watery, while regular mozzarella holds its shape better and won’t flood your baking dish.
- Make extra tomato sauce – Seriously, you’ll want to put this stuff on everything, and future you’ll thank present you for the foresight.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty chicken dish packs a solid protein punch while delivering comfort food satisfaction.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 520-580 calories (varies based on oil used for frying and portion size)
- Protein powerhouse: Each serving delivers about 45-50 grams of high-quality protein from chicken and mozzarella
- Carbohydrates: Around 18-22 grams, primarily from breadcrumbs and tomato-based sauce
- Fat content: 28-35 grams total fat, with saturated fat from cheese and cooking oil making up about 10-12 grams
- Sodium levels: Moderate to high at 800-1000mg per serving, mainly from cheese, breadcrumbs, and canned tomatoes
- Calcium boost: Mozzarella cheese provides roughly 200-250mg of calcium per serving
- Vitamin C: Tomatoes contribute about 15-20% of daily vitamin C needs
- Iron content: Approximately 2-3mg per serving from chicken and fortified breadcrumbs
- Fiber: Low at 2-3 grams, primarily from tomato sauce
- Key nutrients: Rich in B vitamins (especially B6 and B12), phosphorus, and selenium from the chicken
- Wine alcohol: Minimal alcohol content remains after cooking, as most evaporates during the simmering process
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional profile, this crispy chicken mozzarella dish carries fascinating culinary secrets that’ll surprise you.
Did you know mozzarella was originally made exclusively from water buffalo milk in Italy? The double-coating technique I use actually mimics Japanese panko methods, creating superior crispiness.
Wine in the sauce isn’t just for flavor—it tenderizes the chicken through enzymatic action.
That potato masher step? It’s a traditional Italian trick called “passata” that releases more lycopene from tomatoes than chopping.
The moderate oven temperature prevents the mozzarella from separating, maintaining that perfect stretchy pull we all crave in melted cheese.
