This irresistible Mediterranean Chicken Recipe features tender chicken breasts baked with roasted peppers, seasoned artichokes, and salty olives all blanketed with creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh oregano.
If you love this Mediterranean chicken, you may also like Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Caprese or this Braised Chicken and Potatoes.
Table of Contents
There’s nothing better than a one-dish meal you can get on the table in about 30 minutes. Hearty chicken breasts quickly seared and then baked up with marinated vegetables, olives, and cheese is the perfect family weeknight meal. If you want, add a side dish and pair it with some Garlic Fried Rice With Swiss Chard or this hearty homemade Garlicky Carrot Brown Rice.
What is fresh mozzarella?
This recipe calls for fresh mozzarella cheese, also known as fior di latte. As you can see from the photo, fresh mozzarella comes in balls not blocks like the mozzarella cheese most of us are familiar with. Unique in flavor and texture you can substitute with a different type of cheese though you may not get the same taste and texture. Similar to fresh mozzarella is bocconcini.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Satisfying: Savory chicken baked with roasted veggies and topped with cheese hits loads of flavor notes for a truly satisfying meal.
Family-friendly: Chicken is always a family-friendly dish but topped gooey mozzarella, everyone will be asking for seconds.
Easy: Once you sear the chicken, it’s just a matter of a bit of chopping and placing all the ingredients in the baking pan. Nothing too complicated or convoluted.
Ingredients For This Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
- Chicken breasts – Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is best but any kind will work.
- Artichoke hearts – Use canned or jarred marinated artichokes hearts, chopped.
- Roasted bell pepper – Use jarred roasted red pepper, chopped.
- Kalamata olives – Sliced or chopped kalamata olives add natural saltiness. Green olives are also an option.
- Oregano – Use fresh oregano, minced.
- Mozzarella – Fresh mozzarella cheese, halved, adds creaminess.
- Salt and pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste.
How To Make This Mediterranean Chicken Dish Recipe
- Step 1: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste and then sauté in a hot pan until there is a golden crust.
- Step 2: Chop the veggies, olives, and oregano and place in a bowl with olive oil. Mix to combine.
- Step 3: Transfer chicken to a baking dish and top with the veggie and oregano mixture and then add the fresh mozzarella.
- Step 4: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature registers 165F degrees.
Tips and Variations
Instead of chicken breasts: Use boneless chicken thighs instead or opt for turkey instead of chicken.
Change up the veggies: If you don’t have artichokes or red peppers on hand, feel free to throw in whatever you’ve got. Chopped leafy greens work too.
Modify the cheese: Fresh mozzarella is nice and creamy but you can also use bocconcini. Or try feta or goat cheese instead.
FAQs
Mediterranean chicken recipes vary but for this recipe has chicken, veggies and cheese along with a few mediterranean favorites like olives, artichoke and peppers.
If you sear your chicken before cooking it with the rest of the ingredients, this will hold the moisture in.
Searing the chicken before cooking and cooking it with vegetables and cheese helps keep the chicken moist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: If you are looking to get a head start on your weekly meals, this Mediterranean chicken is a great option as it will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Storage: Allow chicken to come to room temperature and then place in an airtight container before placing it in the fridge or freezer. In the freezer, the chicken will keep for up to 3 months.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Pictured in this recipe is the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet, 10.25″ (1-3/4 qt.), color Sea Salt.
However any cast iron skillet will work. The Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet is much more affordable and just as good!
My baking dish is STAUB Ceramics Rectangular Baking Dish Set, 2 pc, color white.
Other tools, utensils and serving dishes can be found on my Amazon Store Front.
Look for more Mediterranean inspired recipes?
- Sheet Pan Mediterranean Shrimp
- Sheet Pan Mediterranean Cod
- Instant Pot Mediterranean Quinoa
- Mediterranean Lentil Quinoa Rice Salad
RECIPE TIP
Keep a stash of jarred roasted veggies, artichoke, olives and sun dried tomato on hand as they add loads of flavor to dishes and cut down on lots of prep work.
Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz marinated artichoke hearts chopped
- 4 oz marinated roasted bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced or chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh oregano minced
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese halved
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet then sauté chicken on both sides until there is a golden crust (about 5 minutes each side)
- Meanwhile chop the veggies; artichoke, bell peppers, olives and oregano. Add to a bowl along with remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. Mix to combine.
- Transfer chicken to a baking dish.
- Top chicken breasts with artichoke, pepper, olives and oregano mix.
- Add fresh mozzarella on top of the chicken and veggies.
- Bake at 400F degrees for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature registers 165F degrees.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
