Melty mozzarella, sweet balsamic reduction, a spread of pesto, and a fresh pop of tomatoes, this caprese chicken is as gorgeous as it is delicious, and it only takes 30 minutes to make! Let me show you why this baked caprese chicken will be your new weeknight staple.
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What Is Chicken Caprese
Chicken caprese, i.e. caprese chicken, is inspired by caprese salad; but instead of being plated on its own, it’s baked over a thin chicken breast. Although not a traditional Italian dish, it uses Italian-inspired ingredients and cooking techniques for an easy and delicious dish no one can turn down!
Ingredients for Baked Caprese Chicken
The beauty of this caprese chicken recipe is you can get away with using trusted store bought ingredients to save time, and get dinner on the table without a million dishes. Here are some notes and swaps to consider:
- Thighs vs. breasts – Although I typically prefer chicken thighs, breasts are perfect here as we’re adding so much flavor elsewhere. Just be sure to slice them in half, making 4 even pieces of chicken (I also do this when making champagne chicken and pesto chicken–more room for the cheese and sauce!). You can totally sub in chicken thighs here, just know they take longer to cook–the goal is an internal temp of 165 F.
- Homemade vs. store bought pesto + balsamic reduction – You can make your own, although I prefer store bought to save time. My go to balsamic reduction recipe (used in my bruschetta salmon) calls for 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey. Adjust the amount of honey based on your sweetness preference. You can see my homemade pesto in this pesto zucchini pasta recipe.
- Shredded vs. sliced mozzarella – opt for low moisture mozzarella. I prefer sliced, as it’s easier to nestle on top, and won’t melt all over the pan (I recommend this when making mozzarella stuffed chicken as well). Shredded works as well!
How to Make Caprese Chicken
This chicken caprese recipe is so easy to make, let your oven do most of the heavy lifting! Here’s how:
- Slice chicken breast in half, this is so you get less chicken and more cheese/sauce with every bit! It also speeds up our cooking time.
- Sear each breast in a hot pan with oil and butter, until golden on each side, but not entirely cooked through.
- Spoon pesto over your chicken, followed by cheese and tomatoes.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
- Top with fresh basil and balsamic reduction, and enjoy!
See how to make this Caprese Chicken on TikTok.
What to Serve With This Chicken Caprese Recipe
This baked caprese chicken doesn’t need much, we honestly love it on its own for a low carb keto dinner. To bulk it up, consider:
- Serving it over a bed of butter noodles. For a low carb option, check out this keto spaghetti.
- With a crisp green salad on the side. Psst–I love turning leftovers into a caprese chicken salad.
- Over a bed of roasted vegetables.
- With a toasted baguette to soak up extra sauce.
Storing, Leftovers, + Freezing
You can’t let this incredible caprese chicken recipe go to waste! It’s easy to store and reheat, here’s how I do it:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Stash fresh basil and balsamic reduction separately.
- Reheat in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top, only as much as needed so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
- Freeze? I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the tomatoes won’t hold up well when frozen.
- Leftover tips: This caprese chicken makes incredible chicken sandwiches. You can also chop everything up and toss it together for a pesto chicken salad.
More Chicken Recipes To Love
- Pizza Stuffed Chicken Roll
- Greek Chicken Salad
- Chicken Crust Pizza
- Tuscan Chicken
- Chicken Florentine
Caprese Chicken
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless + skinless
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- 4 slices low moisture mozzarella about 4-6 ounces, depending on how much cheese you want.
- 2 romaine tomatoes sliced
- 1/4 cup Balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil chiffonade
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Place chicken breast on cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut through the center lengthwise, forming 2 pieces of chicken from each breast. Sprinkle all 4 pieces with salt and pepper on both sides and gently press to adhere.
- In a large skillet or other oven safe pan, heat the oil and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the chicken breast and sear on each side–you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan. Should be 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove pan from heat, and spoon 1 tablespoon of pesto over each breast, followed by 1 slice of mozzarella and a few slices of tomato. Sprinkle the top of each tomato with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Place pan or skillet in preheated oven and cook until chicken is cooked through (reaches an internal temp of 165 F)–about 10-12 minutes.
- Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle with basil. Enjoy!
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