Chicken Caprese

Chicken Caprese is a simple, fresh, and delicious meal made in under 30 minutes!

Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish of Pan-seared chicken breast topped with melty mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil is an easy and irresistible dinner that everyone will love.

Caprese salad is an Italian classic, made with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes, and leafy basil.

To turn this concept into a full meal, you can add the Caprese treatment to pan-seared chicken cutlets! It’s super simple to layer those same ingredients over cooked chicken to create this protein-packed and delicious Chicken Caprese dinner.

To say it in Italian, call this dish “Pollo Caprese”.

This recipe is very similar to my Bruschetta Chicken, which swaps mozzarella and tomato slices for freshly shaved parmesan cheese and seasoned diced tomatoes.

And if you love the fresh flavors of Caprese as I do, be sure to try my Burrata Caprese Salad and Caprese Pasta Bake recipes next!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. One Pan Recipe – Everything is cooked in one skillet to make this easy 20-minute chicken dinner! That means fewer dishes to wash after you eat and less mess in the kitchen.
2. Simple, Fresh Ingredients – There’s nothing fancy or difficult about the ingredients in this recipe. Head to the store and easily pick up everything you need to make the perfect chicken caprese skillet.
3. Adjustable Recipe – Because the method for this recipe is so simple, you can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes. Try it with chicken thigh cutlets, add some pesto under the cheese, or saute onions or mushrooms with the cherry tomatoes to make a different type of sauce. Get creative as much as you’d like to!

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make Chicken Caprese:

• Chicken Cutlets: Slice 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin cutlets, or buy the chicken already sliced from the store.
• Mozzarella Cheese: I’m using low-moisture sliced mozzarella here, but I’ve also made this with slices of fresh mozzarella and it’s delicious both ways! Sliced mozzarella tends to be less expensive, but go with whichever you like.
• Tomatoes: This recipe uses two types of tomatoes, and they both serve important roles! First, sweet cherry tomatoes are cooked in the skillet to create a tasty sauce. These burst when heated and release flavorful juices. To top the chicken, slices of large, ripe tomatoes are used.
• Basil: Fresh basil leaves are a must for Caprese! Be sure to wash your herbs before using them, and coarsely chop the leaves.
• Balsamic Vinegar and Glaze: Balsamic vinegar adds a tangy, umami flavor to the sauce for this dish. Balsamic glaze is optional, but makes a wonderful drizzle that is beautiful and tasty! Look for this in a bottle in the Italian food section of your grocery store.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Chicken Caprese in One Skillet

1. Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
2. Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the chicken cutlets for 4-5 minutes per side or until fully cooked. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it on a plate, covered to keep warm.
3. Make the Sauce: Add minced garlic to the same pan, and sauté for 30 seconds. Then deglaze the pan with chicken stock, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add balsamic vinegar and cherry tomatoes, and cook, allowing the sauce to reduce and the tomatoes to soften and burst.

1. Layer the Caprese: Once the Sauce is finished, add the chicken back to the skillet. Top each cutlet with a slice of mozzarella cheese, a slice of tomatoes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt for about 1 minute.
2. Finish and Serve: Drizzle the dish with balsamic glaze, then sprinkle with fresh chopped basil before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Be sure not to burn the garlic! You only need to cook it in the pan for about 30 seconds. Any longer than that and it will burn and make the whole dish taste burnt. Be ready to deglaze the pan right away after adding the garlic.
• Try adding a bit of fresh, homemade pesto to the top of each chicken cutlet before adding the cheese for even more basil flavor. I don’t suggest jarred pesto, it’s just not very tasty.
• This is the best chicken recipe to make in the summer with fresh tomatoes! Homegrown, local, or heirloom tomatoes will be delicious in this recipe. Since tomatoes are such as big part of this meal, be sure that you choose the best ones.
• Choose a skillet with a lid. I like to use my stainless steel skillet for this meal. It has a well-fitting lid so that I can seal it up at the end to lock in the heat and melt the cheese.
• You could also place your oven-safe skillet under the broiler briefly to melt the cheese on top of the chicken.
• You can make your own balsamic glaze from scratch! Simply cook 2 cups of balsamic vinegar with or without ½ cup of brown sugar in a saucepan at low heat until it’s thick and syrupy.

Storing Tips

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This meal is best enjoyed right away though, as the fresh herbs and sliced tomatoes will wilt and be slightly less tasty with time in the fridge.

I don’t suggest freezing this dish, as the fresh cherry tomato sauce won’t freeze and reheat well.

What To Serve With Caprese Chicken

This easy chicken dish is delicious with a side of easy olive oil pasta, or air fryer roasted potatoes. The fresh cherry tomato sauce in this skillet chicken caprese will add lots of flavor to any simple side dish.

You might also enjoy an Italian-style salad, such as my homemade Caesar Salad, Panzaella Salad, or a copycat Olive Garden salad with this dish.

Recipe FAQs

This easy recipe for Chicken Caprese turns your favorite Italian salad into a delicious and filling meal! Be sure to Pin the recipe for later, and share it with your friends.