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Chicken caprese is a recipe Patty and I make a lot in the summer. It’s a light and refreshing dish that comes together quickly with really fresh ingredients.
The recipe is of course based off Italian caprese salad. Thinly sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese atop chicken and finished with fresh chopped basil and a balsamic reduction. It’s an elegant dish packed with so much flavor and really easy to make.
There are a few ways you can prepare the dish, grilled or baked chicken. Baked chicken caprese is a little more hands-off as you can throw everything in the oven. Grilling adds texture that’s really hard to beat.
Balsamic Reduction (Balsamic Glaze)
A balsamic reduction is made by simmering balsamic vinegar in a saucepan until it reduces and thickens. You’re essentially evaporating the water rendering a thicker sauce. Bring about 1/2 a cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce may not look thicker until it’s been removed from the heat for a few minutes.
If you boil too much, it can easily burn and get ultra-thick so a word of caution. Also, a splash of warm water will help thin the sauce if it gets too sticky.
Fresh Basil and Mozzarella
Always use a freshly sliced ball of mozzarella cheese. It’s far superior to shredded and much more authentic. Dried basil cannot be substituted—it’s just not the same in terms of flavor.
Grilling The Chicken Instead
As mentioned, you can easily grill the chicken in the recipe for added texture and flavor. Cook chicken breast on medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and fully cooked through. Top with tomato and fresh mozzarella and grill with the cover down for 1-2 minutes until mozzarella just starts to melt.
More Chicken Recipes
- Roasted chicken with butternut squash
- Chicken thighs with lemon & rosemary
- Cilantro lime chicken thighs
- Chicken pesto panini with mozzarella
- Chicken pesto pasta
Baked Chicken Caprese Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 18
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked chicken topped with thinly sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese and finished with fresh chopped basil and a balsamic reduction. It’s an elegant dish packed with so much flavor and really easy to make.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast (keep under 3/4 inches thick, slice if necessary)
- 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 medium tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 8–10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Drizzle a cast iron skillet with a little olive oil. Arrange the chicken breast in the skillet without overlap. Brush chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until internal temp reaches 160°F and meat is no longer pink.
- In the last 3 minutes, top each piece of chicken with a slice of tomato then a slice of fresh mozzarella. Remove from the oven, drizzle with balsamic and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
Balsamic reduction
- While chicken is cooking, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil, reduce heat to low/simmer as soon as it bubbles. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until reduced by half. The sauce may not look thicker until it’s been removed from the heat for a few minutes. A splash of warm water will help thin the sauce if it gets too sticky.
Notes
The recipe works best with 3/4 inch thick chicken. Make all slices uniform for the best results. Larger, thicker chicken breasts should be sliced in half to yield two thinner slicers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 416
- Sugar: 0.9g
- Sodium: 361mg
- Fat: 17.7g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 61.4g
- Cholesterol: 157mg
Keywords: chicken with mozzarella and basil, chicken caprese
