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Baked Ricotta Chicken

Baked Ricotta Chicken – Creamy, Juicy & Comfort-Style Delicious!
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Baked Ricotta Chicken is a uniquely delicious dinner recipe featuring tender chicken breasts topped with a creamy ricotta cheese mixture and marinara sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups jarred marinara sauce
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to an even ½ inch thickness (approximately 1 ¾ to 2 pounds)
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 ½ cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, from an 8 ounce block (divided)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Spread half (¾ cup) the marinara sauce evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Reserve the remaining ¾ cup for later.
  3. Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts into the baking dish in a single layer and set aside.
  4. In a mixing bowl, add the whole milk ricotta cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, ½ cup of the shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning blend, salt and black pepper stirring until fully combined and the mixture is smooth.
  5. Divide the cheese mixture evenly and top each of the four chicken breasts with a portion of the cheese mixture. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over each chicken breast.
  6. Spoon the remaining half (¾ cup) of the marinara sauce evenly over the tops of each of the cheese coated chicken breasts. Gently spread the sauce without mixing into the cheese mixture too much.
  7. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the ricotta chicken for 25 minutes.
  8. Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over each of the chicken breasts and return to the oven to finish baking for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 160°-165°F.
  9. You can broil the top of the cheese for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time to brown the cheese more, being sure to keep an eye on it to ensure it does not burn.
  10. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the ricotta chicken to rest for 3-5 minutes before adding the optional garnish of chopped fresh basil.

Notes

  • Ensure the chicken breasts are pounded to an even thickness for even cooking.
  • You can adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences.
  • Allowing the chicken to rest after baking helps maintain its juiciness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.spiritsdrink.com/baked-ricotta-chicken-recipe/