April 23, 2022

Caprese Grilled Chicken

Name: Caprese Grilled Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 shallot diced fine; 6 cloves garlic (shredded); 1 7 ounce container roasted tomatoes chopped (save liquid); 1 pint cherry tomatoes; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 pinch hot pepper flakes; Salt and pepper; 3 slices of fresh mozzarella per chicken breast; 2-3 chicken breasts

Written by Bruce and Dina Miller in Dinner, Favorite Recipes, Featured, Gluten-Free, Grilling, Healthy Recipes, Italian Recipes

mozzarella melted on 3 chicken breasts in tomatoes in a pan

This caprese grilled chicken recipe is super tasty, so easy, and can be on the table in about 30 minutes! Using grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes, this is a heathy choice for dinner. We like to serve this over asparagus with a drizzle of balsamic.

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caprese grilled chicken on a plate over asparagus

Traditional Caprese salad is made with thick slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our recipe for Caprese grilled chicken uses cherry tomatoes (which are available and tasty year round) and a white wine shallot mixture. We roast the tomatoes in the oven, top the chicken with mozzarella, and finish it off by broiling it. The result is simply amazing.

How do you pronounce Caprese?

The way Italians say Caprese depends on what region of Italy the speaker is from. The most Southern parts of Italy will say “cah-preh-zseh. ” The more Northern parts of Italy will pronounce it “cah-prey-zay.” It doesn’t matter which of these pronunciations you use, as long as you can say them correctly.

What you will need to make Caprese Grilled Chicken:

Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil has the most robust flavor and aroma. If you do not have olive oil, any vegatable oil will work.

Shallot: Shallots are milder and sweeter than onions, making them perfect for sauces, dressings, and sautéed dishes, however, any onion can be substitued such as red, yellow or white onions.

Garlic: We use fresh garlic in this dish. We keep the already peeled garlic in our fridge, as we feel the flavor is better than pre-chopped garlic. When we bring it home from the store, we add a paper towel inside the bag, as well as have a small container with a lid and a paper towel in it for our main fridge. This keeps the moisture lower, and the garlic fresher.

Roasted tomatoes: These are more plump than sun-dried tomatoes. These can be hard to find. We sometimes find them in the deli section at the store. Recently we started just making our own from scratch. We would just wash and quarter Roma tomatoes and place them on a cookie sheet and place them in a 250 F. oven for a few hours. Then store them in oil in fridge or freezer. You can sub out sun-dried tomatoes that have been re-constituted in hot water. You can also JUST use Cherry Tomatoes for this dish.

Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are always on our counter. We buy them every week. Check out or tips for storage article and find more cherry tomato recipes HERE.

Italian seasoning: The quality of Italian seasoning can vary, so opt for brands with a good mix of dried herbs and no artificial additives. If you do not have Italian seasoning you can use oregano or basil.

Hot pepper flakes: Choose good quality flakes without any added fillers or preservatives. We buy hot pepper flakes in smaller containers, as they lose some of the heat if they sit on the shelf too long. When you see a brighter color pepper flake, you know that it is fresh.

Kosher Salt: Kosher salt has larger, coarser grains compared to table salt, which makes it easier to pinch and sprinkle evenly over food. This texture is particularly useful for seasoning dishes during cooking or finishing touches.

Freshly ground pepper: Freshly cracked pepper has a more vibrant and complex flavor compared to pre-ground pepper. When you crack whole peppercorns, it releases aromatic oils, resulting in a fresher and more intense taste. The flavor of pre-ground pepper can diminish over time as the essential oils evaporate.

Fresh Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella has a high moisture content and a creamy texture, which allows it to melt beautifully when exposed to heat. It becomes soft and gooey, creating a luscious and indulgent layer over the chicken, while melding well with the roasted tomatoes.

Chicken breasts: We marinate our chicken breasts in buttermilk for a few hours or overnight. When using buttermilk to tenderize chicken, it’s best to marinate the chicken in buttermilk for several hours or overnight. The longer you marinate the chicken, the more tenderizing effect it will have.

Remember that the quality of ingredients can significantly impact the taste and overall result of your dish. Always choose the freshest and best-quality ingredients available to enhance your cooking.