Baked Caprese Chicken combines the fresh Italian flavors of tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese. This delicious skillet recipe is ready in less than 40 minutes!
If you love the sweet flavor of tomatoes, try my caprese chicken and zucchini and chicken with tomatoes.
Baked caprese chicken involves the situation with perfectly seasoned chicken breasts topped with melted mozzarella cheese and vibrant tomatoes. Then drizzled with a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze, and garnished with fresh basil!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple: You’ll need just a small handful of simple ingredients.
- Quick: Ready in less than 40 minutes. Perfect for weeknight dinner.
- Looks fancy: But so easy to make. It’s a chicken recipe that will always impress!
Ingredients for Baked Caprese Chicken
- Chicken breasts: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, they can be different sizes because we will be pounding them. You can also swap with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Italian seasoning: Adds a ton of flavor. Homemade Italian seasoning is my go-to and takes 5 minutes to combine, but store bought is good too.
- Olive oil: For frying chicken, I love the traditional taste of extra virgin olive oil.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese: Thinly sliced for the perfect melty topping.
- Tomatoes: You can use any ripe, vibrant tomatoes like garden tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or tomatoes on the vine. If you have cherry tomatoes on hand feel free to use them, you don’t even have to cut them first.
- Balsamic glaze: The depth of flavor is perfect for drizzling over chicken caprese. Balsamic vinegar can also be used.
- Seasoning: A pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Fresh herbs: Garnishing with fresh basil is a must for any caprese recipe.
How to Make Baked Caprese Chicken
Here is a quick overview, there is a full recipe card below.
- Tenderize chicken breasts: Start by preheating your oven to 400 F. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound lightly using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Season chicken: Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Sear chicken: In a hot cast iron skillet add olive oil and swirl to coat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Bake: Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then top each chicken breast with mozzarella cheese and tomato slices and bake until cheese is melted. Rest for 5-10 minutes, drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with basil.
Tips for Best Results
- If using chicken thighs: You can skip pounding. Start by seasoning the chicken thighs and follow the same instructions.
- If you don’t have cast iron skillet: Use a regular frying pan to sear the chicken, then transfer to a baking pan and bake.
- Don’t skip resting: To prevent dry chicken, let chicken rest before serving. This will lock in the juices and flavor before slicing.
Variations
Here are some easy ways to get creative and add even more flavor to this baked caprese chicken recipe.
- Make stuffed chicken breast: Butterfly each chicken breast leaving one edge intact. Then place mozzarella cheese and tomatoes inside before baking.
- Add pesto: Add a nutty, garlic taste by spreading some pesto on top of the chicken before adding cheese and tomato.
- Use sun-dried tomatoes instead: Sun-dried tomatoes would add a naturally sweet, tangy flavor.
- Grill the chicken: We love grilled chicken in the summer. Follow the same instructions but cook the chicken on the grill instead of the oven.
Serving Ideas
This one pan meal pairs well with so many side dishes.
- Pasta: Make a full Italian meal and serve this dish over pasta.
- Grains: Another great option is to serve this saucy chicken on top of rice or quinoa.
- Veggies: It sits beautifully next to roasted asparagus.
- Salad: For a lighter fair, serve with healthy Caesar salad.
- Make a sandwich: A great lunch option! Toast a piece of Greek yogurt bread and place a piece of chicken on top.
How to Store
Store: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I prefer to store chicken breasts whole to retain the most moisture.
Reheat: For best results, heat oven to 350 F, place chicken in a casserole dish, and reheat. You can also microwave until just warm.
Freeze: Cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I recommend removing the tomato before freezing as it will turn mushy when thawed.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or on a counter for a few hours. Top with fresh tomato and heat in oven.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Grilled bruschetta chicken
- Baked feta chicken
- Pesto chicken and vegetables
- Baked chicken and peppers
Baked Caprese Chicken
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 pounds
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 rounds
- 3 large tomatoes, sliced into 8 rounds
- Handful fresh basil, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with a plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet or rolling pin until even thickness.
- Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning evenly on both sides.
- Preheat large cast iron skillet on medium heat and swirl olive oil to coat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Transfer skillet with chicken to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top each chicken breast with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese followed by tomato slices on top.
- Bake for another 5 minutes and broil for a few more minutes, if you wish, to get tomatoes more wilted.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze, garnish with basil and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
