Chicken Caprese
This Chicken Caprese recipe combines my favourite Caprese salad ingredients with boneless chicken breasts for a quick-to-make dinner perfect for weeknights. Thin-cut boneless chicken breasts are seared on the stove then topped with pesto, sliced sweet tomato, and fresh mozzarella cheese then go into the oven to finish cooking and melt into a creamy wonder. Finished with fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, dinner simply doesn’t get much easier than this. The only tools you'll need for the job are The Pan, measuring cups/spoons, and something to stir with that won't scratch the nonstick layer of the pan.
Servings: 6-8
Total Time: 25 minutes. 10 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to cook.
What you’ll need to make Chicken Caprese:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- DeLallo Simply Pesto Traditional Basil Sauce
- Sweet Campari tomatoes
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil
- DeLallo Modenacream balsamic glaze
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to prepare the dish:
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Cut boneless chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they’re thinner, cook faster, and go further. Or is that farther? Either way, it makes more chicken for your buck. Thinner chicken breasts are also easier to gauge for doneness and have more browned and crisped areas to enjoy.
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Sear the chicken in a combination of extra virgin olive oil and butter. Adding butter to the EVOO raises the smoke point so neither burns and adds a lovely golden colour to the cooked chicken breasts.
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Cook the chicken breasts undisturbed until they release easily from the pan. There’s no need for flipping back and forth. When the chicken is seared, the developed crust will easily release from the pan. The chicken will continue to cook in the oven.
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Add the Caprese components. Thick cuts of fresh mozzarella cheese and sweet tomatoes are classically Caprese. Use garden fresh tomatoes, or if out of season, try the smaller and sweeter store-bought Campari (or cocktail) tomatoes to make this recipe all winter long.
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Transfer the skillet to a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. Finish cooking the chicken in the hot skillet as the mozzarella melts and the tomatoes warm and lightly roast.
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Before cutting, allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes. Keep the juices in the chicken meat by giving it a minute to rest before taking a knife to it. Save any of the juices left in the pan for a tasty, savoury drizzle.
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Finish the dish with balsamic glaze and fresh basil. Before serving, add some sweetness with a drizzle of DeLallo's Modenacrem balsamic glaze. Drizzle a little or a lot, just make sure you drizzle. A sprinkling of fresh basil finishes this dish off with every cheesy, chicken bite.