Caprese Chicken Skillet

From the garden

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into thick rounds
• ½ cup fresh basil, leaves torn
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

From the pantry

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, halved horizontally into cutlets
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F at the thickest point). Nestle the garlic into the pan for the last minute so it softens without burning.
3. Lay a slice or two of tomato and a slice of mozzarella on each cutlet. Cover the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the tomatoes warm through.
4. Move the chicken to plates. Pour the balsamic into the hot skillet and let it bubble 1–2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until it coats a spoon.
5. Drizzle the glaze over the chicken, shower with torn basil, and serve. Crusty bread or a green salad rounds it out.