Caprese Chicken
Chicken breasts seared and topped with tomato, mozzarella and basil, finished in the oven and drizzled with balsamic.
Before You Start
Season the chicken well.
Slice the tomatoes thin.
If your oven runs hot, check at 6 minutes.
Reduce the balsamic slowly.
Making Caprese Chicken
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and brown in the oil in an ovenproof pan for 4 minutes per side.
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Top each breast with the mozzarella and tomato slices and cook in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until melted.
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Simmer the balsamic vinegar for 5 minutes until syrupy.
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Tear the basil over the chicken and drizzle with the balsamic.
Why It Works
Caprese is a salad of tomato, mozzarella and basil, and it makes a good topping for chicken: the cheese melts, the tomato softens and the basil perfumes the dish. A drizzle of balsamic gives the sharpness it needs.
Brown the chicken in a hot, ovenproof pan for 4 minutes a side. Season it well, because the toppings are mild. Do not slice the tomatoes thickly: thin slices heat through in the time the cheese takes to melt.
Lay a slice of mozzarella and two of tomato on each breast and slide the pan into a 200°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and begun to blister. If your oven runs hot, check at 6 minutes.
While it cooks, simmer the balsamic vinegar until it is syrupy, which takes about 5 minutes. Tear the basil over the top and drizzle with the reduced balsamic. Cherry tomatoes halved and roasted alongside work as well when the slicing tomatoes are poor.
Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping
Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently.
Good With
- Pasta
- Green salad
- Roasted potatoes
- Garlic bread
Still Wondering?
How long does Caprese Chicken take to make?
About 35 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Caprese Chicken?
Season the chicken well. Slice the tomatoes thin. If your oven runs hot, check at 6 minutes. Reduce the balsamic slowly.
What should I serve with Caprese Chicken?
Pasta; Green salad; Roasted potatoes; Garlic bread.
How should Caprese Chicken be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently.
Is Caprese Chicken suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is gluten-free, high-protein, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Caprese Chicken?
About 447 kcal per serving, with 51 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate and 23 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Caprese Chicken Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.