Easy Chicken Mozzarella

Place chicken breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut each breast in half lengthwise (see notes) resulting in 4 chicken cutlets.

Season each side of the chicken breast cutlets with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
Add avocado oil to a large oven proof skillet (such as cast iron or stainless steel) and heat over medium-high heat. Brown each side of the chicken cutlets and cook until a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 150ºF.

Remove chicken from pan to a plate and set aside. Pour marinara in the skillet and scrape any browned bit from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Return chicken to pan and top each cutlet with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, followed by the rest of the Italian seasoning.

Turn oven on high broil and set rack to middle of oven. Place mozzarella chicken in the oven and broil until cheese becomes browned and bubbly, about 5–8 minutes.

Remove from oven and check for proper chicken temperature of 165ºF using your meat thermometer. Serve.

Notes:
• To cut chicken in half lengthwise, place one hand flat on top of a chicken breast and, holding knife parallel tothe cutting board. Slice horizontally from the thick end to the thin end.
• Avocado oil is better for searing as it has a higher smoke point than olive oil or butter.
• To avoid overcooked chicken, sear chicken breast until internal temperature is around 150ºF. This will allow us to continue to cook the chicken in the oven without it overcooking.
• If you do not own an oven safe skillet, you can brown each chicken cutlet in any skillet you have and pour the marinara sauce into a casserole dish, followed by the browned chicken and the cheese. Continue with next steps.
• To properly check the internal temperature, you need to check the temperature of the center of the meat.
• Nutrition is calculated based on 12 ounces of chicken breast. 1 serving is 1 chicken mozzarella cutlet and 1/4th of the sauce.

Nutrition: Calories: 360kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g