This Caprese chicken bake is a flavor-packed low carb dish that is super simple to pull together! With pan-seared chicken, seasoned tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and topped with basil, this recipe for Caprese chicken is about to become a favorite in your weekly rotation. Similar to a Caprese salad, Caprese chicken bake takes all the tastes of Italy and cooks them in under 30-minutes using just a single skillet so you can get it on the table and start enjoying this WHOLE LOTTA YUM dish in no time.
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What is Caprese Chicken?
The Caprese chicken recipe is a variation of a fresh Caprese salad that originated in Caprese, Italy with mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil. Our recipe for Caprese chicken takes that same concept yet cooks the chicken alongside melted fresh mozzarella and roasted grape tomatoes. All of the flavors combine under a balsamic pan sauce that we top the finished chicken dish with just before serving.
Caprese Baked Chicken
We love a classic Caprese salad in the summer! The fresh flavor of mozzarella, tomatoes (especially fresh from the garden!), and basil create a quick salad that is both refreshing and filling.
Yet, sometimes we want a little more on our plates which is where out Caprese chicken bake came from. We start with the same basic idea of a Caprese salad and add chicken and some heat to the dish to create a quick and simple meal that is light yet filling, tasty yet quick.
We may have just started making this Caprese chicken bake, but it is quickly becoming one of our favorites in the Whole Lotta Yum household!
In addition to being a great one-pan meal, the Caprese chicken bake is gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly! And for a household that needs to watch both gluten and carbs, that is a huge win for us!
Why You'll Love This Chicken Caprese
- Caprese baked chicken needs just one skillet and less than 30-minutes of your time from start to finish!
- Made with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, Caprese chicken bake packs a powerhouse of flavor into a single dish.
- Baked Caprese chicken is perfect for a quick lunch or a night when you need dinner on the table in a flash.
- Impress your guests with the classic Italian flavors contained in the Caprese chicken bake, but know, it's easy enough for even the most inexperienced home cooks.
If you love the flavors of Italy at your table for dinner, check out our keto carbonara with zucchini noodles, this instant pot Zuppa Toscana, and our Italian antipasto salad.
Baked chicken recipes always make for a great dinner, even if you are feeding picky eaters. Be sure to try our baked salsa chicken or green chili chicken bake.
Ingredients
For your Caprese chicken bake fresh is best! Start with quality chicken cutlets, fresh, whole mozzarella, and ripe grape tomatoes. From there, we just need some simple seasoning with fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and a Balsamic glaze. Of course, a skillet that can easily go from stove-top to oven is going to help keep this dish all in one pan, so we are opting for a quality cast-iron pan.
- Chicken cutlets - cutlets are large chicken breasts that get cut in half lengthwise. Many grocery stores sell chicken cutlets if you don't want to cut them yourself.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese - fresh mozzarella comes in a ball in water and sometimes you can find it sliced in a log. You can substitute regular mozzarella slices if you can't find fresh.
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Grape tomatoes - cherry tomatoes also work. Leave whole or cut them in half.
- Garlic salt
- Ground black
- Dried Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil, shredded
- (optional) Balsamic glaze - a thick sweetened balsamic syrup. Just use balsamic vinegar to drizzle over the finished dish if you don't have it.
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How to Make
You are just four easy steps away from creating your own Caprese baked chicken! Get your ingredients on the counter and your pan on the stove, and let's create this amazing dish!
Prep
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make chicken cutlets. You can cut them in half vertically, but they will be thicker and take a little longer to cook.
Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on one side of the chicken, this is the side you'll put down in the pan and cook first.
Sear
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat and place the chicken in the pan, seasoned side down to sear. Season the top side of the chicken.
Once the first side has seared (4-5 minutes), flip the chicken and sear again. The chicken won't be all the way cooked through at this point.
While the chicken is cooking, season the tomatoes by combining the grape tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
After searing, remove the chicken from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to the pan to deglaze. Add the tomato mixture and spread around the tomatoes. Top each piece of chicken with 1-2 slices of mozzarella cheese.
Bake
Place the entire pan in the preheated oven and bake on 375F.
Check the chicken for doneness after 10-minutes, but know the chicken could take 15-20 to reach an internal temperature of 165F due to adding told ingredients to the partially cooked chicken.
Once your chicken has reached 165F and your pan is filled with fabulous aromas, melted mozzarella, and oven-roasted tomatoes (that may slightly burst), you know it's time to serve.
To serve your Caprese baked chicken, place a piece of chicken and a scoop of tomatoes on a plate and top with the pan sauce.
Garnish with fresh basil and either balsamic syrup or balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Add some fresh pesto sauce to your chicken before you add the cheese for another classic Italian flavor.
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken cutlets.
- Instead of grape or cherry tomatoes, try slices of your favorite larger variety.
- If you cannot find fresh mozzarella, you can use sliced.
- A cast-iron pan works best to sear the chicken and transfer the dish to the oven. If you don't have cast iron, check your pan and be sure it can go in the oven. If not, after searing, transfer the chicken and drippings to an oven-safe dish before baking.
- Saute your tomatoes to fully break them down before putting the Caprese chicken into the oven.
- Broil your pan for 1-2 minutes to get the cheese golden and bubbly, if desired.
Common Questions
How to Store It?
Store any left-overs in the fridge in a covered dish for 3-4 days.
Is Caprese Chicken Keto?
Keto/low carb - Balsamic vinegar does have carbs, however, it also has a rich depth of flavor that is hard to beat. If you prefer, you can substitute red vinegar for the balsamic. You can also drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top instead of balsamic glaze as the glaze has a small amount of sugar and carbs as well.
More Chicken Bake Recipes
- Baked Salsa Chicken
- Green chili chicken bake
- Keto Chicken Parmesan
- Alfredo Chicken Bake with Broccoli
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📖 Recipe
Caprese Chicken Bake
Caprese chicken bake is an easy one dish dinner that cooks in 30 minutes with all the Italian flavors of a Caprese salad. Low carb, keto friendly, and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless chicken breast (2 large breasts), cut into half lengthwise
- 8 slices mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tbsp+ balsamic vinegar
- 1 lb grape tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black
- Dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup fresh basil, shredded
- (optional) Balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make chicken cutlets, or you can purchase chicken cutlets already thinly sliced for you.
- Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on one side of the chicken, this is the side you'll put down in the pan and cook first.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat and place the chicken in the pan, seasoned side down to sear for 4 minutes. Season the top side of the chicken with more salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and sear the other side. The chicken won't be all the way cooked through at this point.
- Mix the sliced tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- After searing, remove the chicken from the heat and set them aside on a plate. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to the pan to deglaze. Add the tomato mixture and simmer them for 5-6 minutes until cooked. Add the chicken back to the pan and nestle the cutlets within the tomatoes. Top each piece of chicken with 1-2 slices of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the chicken for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F when tested with a meat thermometer. As an optional step, broil the chicken Caprese for 1 minute to partially brown the cheese.
- Garnish with fresh basil and either balsamic syrup or balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
- Add some fresh pesto sauce to your chicken before you add the cheese for another classic Italian flavor.
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken cutlets.
- Instead of grape or cherry tomatoes, try slices of your favorite larger variety.
- If you cannot find fresh mozzarella, you can use sliced.
- A cast-iron pan works best to sear the chicken and transfer the dish to the oven. If you don't have cast iron, check your pan and be sure it can go in the oven. If not, after searing, transfer the chicken and drippings to an oven-safe dish before baking.
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Cindy says
What is the nutritional breakdown?