Italian-Style Chicken Mozzarella Bake

1.Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2.Season the chicken breasts on both sides with kosher salt, pepper, and dried Italian seasoning.

3.In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

4.Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and sear them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

5.In the same skillet, pour in the marinara sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

6.Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the marinara sauce.

7.Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the chicken breasts.

8.Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

9.Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.

10.Garnish the chicken with torn fresh basil leaves before serving.

11.Serve the chicken with cooked pasta if desired.