Caprese Chicken

My mom sent me this recipe last time she mailed something to me. She made a few slight changes to the recipe after she tried it and I have included them in the instructions. Doug and I really liked this meal. I normally hate tomatoes (the seeds are so slimy!) but even I ate it when stacked with chicken and cheese.

• 2/3 cup Italian salad dressing
•  2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz each)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese (sliced, fresh, or shredded)
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or glaze
• torn fresh basil leaves

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine salad dressing, poultry and Italian seasonings. Add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 4-6 hours. Drain chicken, discarding marinade.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through.

Top chicken with cheese and tomato. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Drizzle with vinegar, top with basil.

NOTES: We used sliced cheese, my parents used shredded cheese and it still tasted just fine. I'm sure "fresh" cheese would taste even better, but this recipe was great just like this. We also just sprinkled dried basil over the top of the chicken instead of buying fresh. My mom also said to make sure you have a flat surface on the chicken. She said you should butterfly the chicken if it seems thick. Ours was pretty thick, but worked ok.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 min plus marinating
Total time: 30 min plus marinating

Recipe from Taste of Home