Prep and cook 20 minutes

Seared chicken thighs cooked with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil and melted Mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Caprese dates back to the days when they piped Dean Martin’s Ariverderci Roma in Italian restaurants. Together with other retro recipes like Chicken Piccata and Chicken Pizzaiola, that I featured on this web site, this dish has been overtaken by more fashionable and sophisticated choices. Which is a pity.

Before you discount it as boring and passé, I can’t think of any dish that is as foolproof as this one. Nor one that can so quickly transform a plain chicken breast into something quite exotic and tasty.

Although simple, the flavours are pretty intense. Seared chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes and melted Mozzarella cheese. Add to that shredded fresh basil and caramelized balsamic vinegar and then tell me that’s not worth the 20 minutes it takes to prep and cook this light and delicious, summer dish – all in one pan.

For a vegetarian version of this recipe using Portobello mushrooms, check out this recipe.

One pan Chicken Caprese

Derek Farwagi

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Calories

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
½ cup Grape tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp Olive oil
½ cup Coarsely shredded fresh basil
3 Cloves of garlic finely chopped
4 Thin slices of mozzarella cheese ( For this recipe, use low moisture mozzarella cheese made from cow's milk, not fresh or buffalo mozzarella which has a too high a moisture content to melt uniformly).

Instructions

Sear the chicken breasts - 10 minutes
Before you start searing the breasts, make sure they are evenly thick - about an inch at its thickest point. Depending on the size of chicken breasts, you can even out the thickness using a meat mallet or bottom of a small frying pan. You can also cut them horizontally through the middle to make thinner cutlets.
Pat chicken breast dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a 10 inch skillet or pan on medium heat and add about 1 tbsp olive oil to coat bottom. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes each side. Tip: Chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced.
Set aside on a separate plate.
Make the vinegar reduction and blister the tomatoes - 3 minutes
Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauteé chopped garlic cloves for a minute.
Add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar ( CAUTION. THE VINEGAR WILL BOIL VIGOUROUSLY SO DO WITH THE PAN THIS AWAY FROM YOU AND UNDER YOUR STOVE VENT TO CAPTURE THE FUMES.
Add the cherry tomatoes and stir for a minute.
Add chicken and cheese to complete the dish - 2 minutes
Add chicken to pan and cover each breast with two thin slices of cheese.
Cover pan for a minute until cheese melts.
Add shredded basil and stir.
Plate the dish
Plate the chicken breasts, garnish with tomatoes, balsamic reduction and shredded basil.
Serve on a bed of rice or orzo.