With store-bought pesto, cherry tomatoes, leafy basil, and thick-sliced fresh mozzarella, you can make this caprese chicken dinner in under 30 minutes.
This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods
During the week, there are many things we have at our house, but extra time in the day is not always one of them. Taking a little time at the beginning of the week to plan ahead with the grocery shopping always helps when the dreaded question of “What’s for dinner?” arises. That’s when one-pan recipes like this 30-minute chicken dinner wonder make cooking at home, dare I say, enjoyable. Caprese flavors are some of my favorites, and just like my caprese pasta salad, grilled caprese skewers, and caprese sandwich, this caprese chicken recipe is singing with fresh flavor. It combines my favorite 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.
What is Chicken Caprese Made Of
This chicken caprese recipe is another one in my partnership with DeLallo Foods, and features a few of the products I keep stocked in my pantry for easy dinner recipes I can whip up in a flash. Because their products are always top-notch in quality and fresh flavor, I’m a big fan of everything from their pasta to olive oil and have been for years.
Here’s what’s in this 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 Modenacrem balsamic glaze
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Caprese Chicken
This easy chicken dinner starts on the stove and finishes in the oven to guarantee moist, juicy chicken cutlets that cook quickly and taste awesome.
- 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.
- 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 color to the cooked chicken breasts.
- 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 be released from the pan. The chicken will continue to bake in the oven.
Flavor Shortcut: Jarred Pesto
For one-step flavor, smear the chicken with pesto. The best shortcut for adding flavor is topping the seared chicken breasts with Italian-inspired basil and a garlicky, tangy schmear of pesto. Making my favorite homemade basil pesto is easy, but opening a jar of DeLallo’s Traditional Basil Simply Pesto makes this dish even easier. There’s no need for any other herbs or spices—besides salt and pepper—because it’s all there in the jar. Wha-la!
Make it Caprese
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.
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. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken breasts for doneness.
The Caprese Chicken Finalé
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, savory drizzle.
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 leaves finishes this dish off with every cheesy, chicken bite.
THE BEST Caprese Chicken (30-Minute Meal)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 6 oz. jar DeLallo Traditional Basil Simply Pesto
- 4-6 slices fresh mozzarella or 6 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
- 8 cocktail or small tomatoes sliced
- DeLallo balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil slivered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Use a thin, sharp knife to slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted into the olive oil, add the chicken breasts to the pan, being careful not to crowd. Cook on each side until lightly browned and easily released from the pan, about 3-4 minutes each.
- Slather the tops of each chicken breast with the basil pesto, about 1-2 tablespoons per chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with a slice of mozzarella and a few slices of tomato. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
