Chicken Caprese Recipe

Chicken Caprese Recipe

When I think of fresh Italian flavors, I think of tomatoes, basil, garlic, and mozzarella cheese.  All of these ingredients come together, along with a honey balsamic vinaigrette, as part of this amazing Chicken Caprese recipe.  This is one of my favorite recipes to make,and is best served alongside pasta and with a glass of red wine.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, thin sliced
• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons dried basil
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, choppped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Freshly grated Asiago cheese, to taste

For the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

To start, you want to marinate the chicken.  With about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, brush both sides of the chicken, and season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil.  Set aside for about 15-20 minutes while prepping the tomatoes mixture.

For my Chicken Caprese recipe, I like to saute the onion and garlic in olive oil briefly before combining with the tomatoes.  So, in a medium skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat, and add the onion and garlic for a quick 2-3 minute saute.  Remove from heat and combine the onion and garlic in a medium mixing bowl with the chopped tomatoes and basil.  Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper, and mix well  Set aside and allow the mixture to cool down.

Now, we will make the honey balsamic vinaigrette.  Combine the oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a small bowl and thoroughly whisk.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Next, preheat a large skillet or grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Place the seasoned and olive oil coated chicken in the pan, and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes per side.  Then arrange the chicken slices on a large baking pan, and top them with sliced mozzarella cheese. Place the chicken in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt.

Remove chicken from the oven.  To serve, place the chicken on a plate with a couple heaping spoonfuls of the tomato mixture on top of it.  Then, drizzle some honey balsamic vinaigrette, and top with freshly grated Asiago cheese.  Enjoy this delicious Chicken Caprese recipe!

Notes

If serving this Chicken Caprese recipe with a side of pasta, top the pasta with the tomato mixture, drizzled honey balsamic vinaigrette, and grated Asiago cheese also!