Chicken Caprese Recipe
Published August 9, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious chicken caprese recipe is loaded with fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and herbs for the ultimate family meal. You will love how simple and tasty it is to prepare.
Making the same chicken recipes repeatedly can be boring for you and your family. Get out of your routine by making my delicious Beer Can Chicken or Chicken Chopped Salad.
Chicken Caprese
Chicken caprese is an American-Italian dish of cooked chicken combined with all the ingredients of a caprese salad. Sliced mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and herbs are added to the top of the chicken and served with an optional garnish of reduced balsamic vinegar. It’s a very quick-to-make dish that is excellent to serve during the summer months.
This dish can be varied, including the kind of tomatoes and herbs used. The chicken can also be grilled instead of pan-seared. If you’re not making this during ripe-tomato season, I recommend using Roma or cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts are best to use. However, you can also use boneless skinless thighs.
- Cheese — Fresh Buffalo mozzarella will be the most flavorful, but fresh regular cow’s milk mozzarella will also work. Other cheeses that can be used are fontina or provolone. I also garnished the dish with optional Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Tomatoes – Any fresh in-season ripe tomato will work like vine-ripe, heirloom, or cherries.
- Herbs — Like in a classic caprese salad, I used dry oregano and fresh basil. Dry basil will also work.
- Balsamic – Balsamic reduction is used to finish off the dish and is highly recommended.
- Oil – Olive or avocado oil is best. However, any neutral-flavored oil will also work.
- Seasoning – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper are used.
How to Make Chicken Caprese
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
Next, add the oil to a large frying pan over high heat and heat it until it smokes lightly.
Place in the chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown on the cooked side.
Flip the chicken over, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more or until cooked throughout.
In the meantime, prepare the cheese, tomatoes, and basil.
With about 2 minutes left in the chicken cooking process, place two cheese slices on top of each chicken breast to help steam and warm the cheese.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle on optional Parmigiano Reggiano.
Add tomato slices to each chicken breast and season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle on optional balsamic reduction.
Garnish with dry oregano and fresh chiffonade basil.
Serve the chicken caprese on a plate or in the pan.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be served immediately, but you could leave it in the pan covered in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 30 minutes.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for one day before reheating and serving. Feel free to discard the tomato and use fresh upon reheating it.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of chicken caprese to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake it in the oven at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until warmed.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Substitute the fresh basil with 1 tablespoon of dry basil.
- If you don’t want to make your own balsamic reduction, you can purchase balsamic glaze from the store.
- The chicken will be 165° internally when it’s done.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken Caprese Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 slices of fresh mozzarella, about ½” thick
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, optional
- 8 thick slices of fresh tomatoes or 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- ¼ cup balsamic reduction, optional
- 2 teaspoons dry oregano
- ¼ cup chiffonade basil
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, add the oil to a large frying pan over high heat and heat it until it smokes lightly.
- Place in the chicken breasts and cook it for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown on the cooked side.
- Flip the chicken over, turn the heat down to medium and cook for a further 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked throughout.
- With about 2 minutes left in the chicken cooking process place two cheese slices on top of each chicken breasts to help steam and warm up the cheese.
- Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle on optional Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Add tomato slices to each chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle on optional balsamic reduction.
- Garnish with dry oregano and fresh chiffonade basil.
- Serve the chicken caprese on a plate or in the pan.
So nice I made it twice! Two nights in a row. This dish is great! Easy, fast and delish. 😊
Thank you for giving it a shot!
Could this be done with chicken scallopini?
why not? Go for it!
I made this delicious recipe tonight and we loved how it turned out,.!
I did pound the chicken slightly , as they were quite large.
I made it exactly as it was written, and it was fabulous!
Thank you!
Excellent!
This looks wonderful thank you so much! I have all items her except the chicken and I am going grocery shopping, and I will make sure to get the chicken so I can make this tonight. The tomatoes and basil from the garden.