Grilled Caprese Chicken

I’m a large instrumentality of taking a proven spirit combination, for illustration nan classical Caprese (originally from Capri, Italy), which features tomatoes, basil, caller mozzarella cheese, and balsamic, and uncovering caller ways to bring it to nan table. 

I first started making it a fewer years backmost during highest herb play erstwhile my basil works was overflowing and I had much cherry tomatoes than I knew what to do with. And of course, pinch a chicken-loving husband, I’m ever looking for ways to make grilled chickenhearted exciting. 

After testing a fewer marinades and toppings, I recovered that utilizing my balsamic chickenhearted marinade was nan cleanable guidelines for this recipe. It adds conscionable nan correct magnitude of tang to equilibrium nan creamy mozzarella and saccharine summertime tomatoes, while nan grill brings retired a steaming extent successful each bite.

It’s nan benignant of easy, beautiful meal you’ll want to make connected repetition each summertime long. Some group telephone it grilled Caprese chicken, others telephone it Caprese grilled chicken, but nary matter nan name, it’s ever a hit.

Ingredients for nan Perfect Grilled Caprese Chicken

While nan constituent database mightiness look a spot long, chances are you already person astir ingredients astatine home. This look is built astir 3 main components: grilled chicken, a tangy balsamic marinade, and a caller herb salad.

You’ll find nan nonstop measurements successful nan recipe card below, but present are a fewer adjuvant notes to guideline you arsenic you cook:

For nan Chicken:

Chicken Breasts: For this recipe, boneless, skinless chickenhearted breasts are ideal. For moreover cooking, lb them to astir ¾-inch heavy truthful nan thinner ends don’t barren retired earlier nan halfway is cooked through. 

Mozzarella Cheese: Go for thinner pieces (about ⅓ inch) and usage 2 per chickenhearted breast. I utilized caller mozzarella here, but shredded mozzarella useful conscionable arsenic well. Use astir ¼ cup per breast, keeping successful mind that shredded food will melt nicely but won’t supply nan aforesaid creamy effect arsenic caller mozzarella.

Seasoning: I only utilized brackish and capsicum because nan seasoning of this look relies heavy connected nan balsamic marinade. However, adding a pinch of dried oregano, Mediterranean seasoning, aliases Italian seasoning is perfectly good if you’d like.

For nan Marinade:

Olive Oil: Choose a high-quality other virgin oliva oil. Lately, I person been utilizing Garcia de la Cruz for its smooth, well-rounded flavor. You will besides request a small other to brushwood connected nan grill grates truthful nan chickenhearted releases easily.

Balsamic Vinegar: For nan champion flavor, take a balsamic vinegar branded “aged,” ideally from Modena. It has a thicker texture and is simply a spot sweeter. That being said, immoderate balsamic vinegar would activity to make nan marinade.

Honey: Adds a touch of earthy sweetness. You tin switch successful brownish sweetener aliases achromatic sweetener if that’s what you have.

Dijon Mustard: Dijon has a stronger, tangier bite, which is what I americium going for successful this recipe. If you for illustration a milder flavor, yellowish mustard will activity arsenic well.

Garlic: I for illustration to usage freshly minced ail successful marinades for its stronger flavor, but if you for illustration thing milder, ail powder useful arsenic well.

For nan Caprese Topping:

Tomatoes: I for illustration cherry aliases grape tomatoes successful this recipe, arsenic they are sweeter. However, larger heirloom aliases beefsteak tomatoes tin besides beryllium used; conscionable chop them into bite-sized pieces.

Basil: Fresh basil leaves adhd that classical Caprese finish. Tear them mildly truthful they merchandise their aroma without bruising excessively much. Alternatively, you could usage store-bought pesto aliases make a batch of my Basil Pesto Vinaigrette for easy drizzling.

How to Make Juicy Grilled Chicken Caprese

The beauty of this look is that it useful whether you’re making it nan time of aliases marinating nan chickenhearted a time ahead. Either way, it comes together easily: grill nan marinated chicken, melt immoderate caller food connected top, and decorativeness pinch a speedy herb topping. 

Here’s really I make it, measurement by step:

Step 1 – Pound nan Chicken: Place nan chickenhearted breasts connected a cutting committee and pat them barren pinch insubstantial towels to thief forestall nan mallet from slipping (just a information tip). Cover pinch integrative wrap and mildly lb each portion to astir ¾-inch thickness truthful they navigator evenly from separator to center.

Step 2 – Marinade: In a ample bowl, whisk together nan balsamic vinegar, oliva oil, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and capsicum until nan substance looks smooth. This is nan aforesaid guidelines arsenic my Balsamic Chicken Marinade, which you tin besides usage connected its ain for a speedy and flavorful grilled chickenhearted dinner.

If you want to get a caput start, you tin hole nan marinade nan time earlier and shop it successful nan fridge. Then, fto it travel to room somesthesia earlier using. 

Let nan chickenhearted marinate astatine room somesthesia for 30 minutes aliases an hr while you hole nan garnish, aliases refrigerate for up to overnight aliases nary longer than 24 hours.

Step 3 – Make nan Caprese Garnish: In a mean bowl, harvester nan cherry tomatoes, garlic, oliva oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss mildly truthful nan tomatoes support their shape; overmixing tin origin them to go mushy. 

Add nan torn basil correct earlier serving arsenic well, to support it fresh. If you hole nan garnish excessively acold successful advance, nan basil whitethorn wilt, and nan tomatoes will merchandise much liquid.

Step 4 – Grill nan Chicken: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, astir 450°F (232°C). This higher power helps sear nan extracurricular quickly, locking successful nan juices and creating those beautiful grill marks. 

Once nan grill is ready, cleanable nan grates thoroughly to region immoderate leftover bits, past brushwood them pinch lipid to forestall sticking. Remove nan chickenhearted from nan marinade and fto nan excess drip disconnected to debar flare-ups. 

Place nan chickenhearted connected nan grates and navigator for 4 to 5 minutes connected nan first broadside without moving it, which helps nan sear marks shape and keeps nan nutrient from tearing erstwhile flipped. Cook for different 3 to 4 minutes connected nan 2nd side, aliases until nan thickest portion of nan chickenhearted reaches 160-165°F (71-74°C) connected a nutrient thermometer. 

If you do not person a thermometer, look for clear juices moving from nan thickest portion and a firm, springy texture erstwhile pressed.

Step 5 – Melt nan Mozzarella and Rest: Top each chickenhearted bosom pinch 2 bladed slices of mozzarella. Reduce nan power to medium-low, screen nan grill, and navigator until nan food melts, astir 3-4 minutes. During my testing, I recovered that 2 thinner slices melt much evenly than 1 heavy slice, which tin time off nan halfway unmelted and origin nan chickenhearted to barren out.

If your grill has a warming rack, move nan chickenhearted location to clasp nan power without overcooking. Otherwise, simply move nan grill off, adjacent nan lid, and fto nan chickenhearted beryllium for 3-4 minutes. 

Transfer nan chickenhearted to a platter, screen loosely pinch foil, and remainder for 5-10 minutes truthful nan juices redistribute and each wound stays juicy.

Step 6 – Garnish and Serve: Top each chickenhearted bosom pinch nan tomato-basil garnish, and consciousness free to drizzle immoderate of nan herb juices connected top; they’ll make nan chickenhearted moreover juicier. Serve correct distant while nan chickenhearted is still lukewarm and nan food is still melty.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Tips

Make Ahead: You tin marinate nan chickenhearted and support it successful nan refrigerator for up to 24 hours earlier cooking. I do not urge making nan herb basil topping successful advance, arsenic it will go soggy arsenic it sits. It is champion to make it correct earlier serving.

Storage and reheating: Store leftover mozzarella grilled chickenhearted successful an airtight instrumentality successful nan refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep nan tomato-basil garnish abstracted to support nan chickenhearted from getting soggy. 

When reheating, lukewarm nan chickenhearted mildly successful a covered skillet complete debased power (with a scatter of water) aliases successful a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through. Try to skip nan microwave if possible, arsenic it tin make nan chickenhearted rubbery and overcook nan cheese.

Freezing: I don’t urge freezing nan look afloat assembled, since caller mozzarella and tomatoes don’t thaw well. 

For nan champion results, frost nan cooked chickenhearted separately erstwhile it has cooled completely. Wrap each portion tightly successful integrative wrap, spot it successful a freezer-safe bag, and frost it for up to 2 months. When fresh to serve, thaw overnight successful nan refrigerator. Reheat gently, past adhd caller mozzarella slices during nan past mates of minutes of warming. Finish pinch nan tomato-basil topping.

What to Serve With Caprese Grilled Chicken?

This grilled mozzarella chickenhearted is 1 of those mains that goes pinch conscionable astir everything. It’s ray but still filling, and that caller tomato-basil topping makes it easy to brace pinch each kinds of sides. Here are a fewer of my favourite pairings:

• With caller greenish salads: You can’t spell incorrect pinch a crisp salad. My Spring Mix Salad adds a popular of colour and has a tangy dressing, while my Butter Lettuce Salad is light, fresh, and goes perfectly pinch nan chicken.
• Alongside roasted vegetables: When I want an easy meal side, roasted veggies are my go-to. My Eggplant Involtini is rich | and cheesy, and my Baked Breaded Eggplant has nan champion crunch.
• With pasta: For a much filling dinner,pair it pinch thing creamy aliases buttery. My Lemon Ricotta Pasta keeps things bright, while my Garlic Butter Pasta is cozy and comforting.
• With lukewarm bread: A broadside of my Garlic Bread in nan Air Fryer aliases Olive Bread is cleanable for soaking up each driblet of tomato-basil juice.
• Over grains: Serve it complete a furniture of Vermicelli Rice aliases Lemon Quinoa to make it a complete, satisfying repast that besides captures those flavorful juices.

FAQs

More Caprese Recipes You Might Like

Caprese flavors are conscionable excessively bully to extremity astatine 1 recipe, truthful if you’re craving much of that tomato, mozzarella, and basil magic, present are a fewer of my favorites.

• My Eggplant Caprese layers grilled eggplant pinch juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and caller basil for a elemental vegetarian option.
• For an easy lunch, effort my Chicken Caprese Sandwich, which brings together nan aforesaid caller tomato, mozzarella, and basil operation connected a soft bun.
• When you’re craving thing ray and refreshing, my Caprese Pasta Salad is simply a caller twist connected pasta night.
• If pizza is connected nan menu, my Caprese Pizza tops a crisp crust pinch caller mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil for a elemental yet comforting dinner.

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Photos by Tanya Pilgrim.