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Pesto mozzarella chicken in skillet
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5 from 5 votes

Skillet Pesto Mozzarella Chicken

Crispy skillet chicken topped with fresh mozzarella and basil pesto, simple and delicious for a late summer weeknight dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 335kcal

Ingredients

  • 4-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs depending on size of thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter I use salted
  • 4-6 slices fresh mozzarella thick slices
  • ½ cup prepared basil pesto, store bought or homemade about 1-2 tablespoons per chicken thigh

Instructions

  • Put a large cast iron skillet in oven and heat for 30 minutes at 400º
  • Season both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. With oven mitt, transfer hot skillet to stovetop over medium-high heat. Melt butter in skillet. Brown chicken thighs skin side down for 5-7 minutes until golden. Flip and brown other side for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer to pre-heated 400º oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top each chicken thigh with a mozzarella slice. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt and finish cooking.
  • Remove skillet from oven and top each chicken thigh with a couple of spoonfuls of basil pesto. Let rest for several minutes and then serve, spooning pan juices alongside chicken. Enjoy!

Notes

  • I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet for 4 decent size thighs. Use a larger skillet for 6 smaller thighs. Just depends on how big the chicken thighs are and how many you want to serve.
  • Don't forget to use an oven mitt the entire time, the skillet is hot AF.
  • Make sure to use skin-on chicken thighs, boneless if you want.
  • Chicken shouldn't stick when flipping, if it does, it's not browned/golden enough to flip, cook a little longer.
  • If you have fresh basil, garnish with a leaf on top of each thigh.
  • Be sure to let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1mg