One Pan, Cheesy, Fresh and Delicious with Cheese Pulls, Pesto and Lovely Bright Red Tomatoes! Who Can Resist this restaurant quality Caprese Chicken Recipe? Not ME!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy
- Beautiful
- Pesto, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella work PERFECTLY together!
Here’s How You Do It
STEP 1.
Cut the chicken breasts like a book (don’t cut all the way through)
STEP 2.
Spoon on the pesto and parmesan cheese
STEP 3.
Lay the chicken breast in the baking dish and put the tomatoes on top.
STEP 4.
Heat the cheese, butter and garlic in a saucepan till melted.
STEP 5.
Pour the sauce over the top.
STEP 6. Bake!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What IS Caprese?
Caprese is a dish that involves fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar. Super fine tastes together!
Can I Use a Marinade on the Chicken?
Yes! By all means use a balsamic salad dressing at the marinade and you will be shocked at how good it is! True Caprese flavor!
Can I Grill The Chicken First?
Yes! Please DO! If you grill the chicken first, you’ll want to pin the halves together with a toothpick first and then baste with a balsamic vinegar oil mix while cooking. Have the cheese sauce ready to go and hot. Just pour it over at the table. No need to stick in the oven unless you just want to.
How About If I Add a Few Slices of Fresh Mozzarella?
Wouldn’t that be lovely? Add them on top so that they melt and then stick the whole thing under the broiler for about a minute so that it melts and gets bubbly!
Why Isn’t There Balsamic Drizzled Over The Top of The Ones In the Photos?
That’s an easy one! I forgot!
Do I Have to Cut the Tomatoes In Half?
Yes! Please do! Otherwise they are a pain to eat and they squirt all over your mouth and probably on your shirt!
What if I Can’t Find the Little Tomatoes?
That’s fine! You can slice Roma Tomatoes or fresh tomatoes (just use bite size pieces).
How Do I Reheat the Leftovers?
Cover with aluminum foil and put in a 325 oven for 20 minutes or put your serving on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 1 minute. Repeat until heated through.
Can I Freeze Caprese Chicken?
Yes! You can freeze this after it is baked OR before. Make sure to wrap tightly and press out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I Make Caprese Chicken Ahead?
Yes, you can make it up to a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Uncover just before baking.
What To Serve With Caprese Chicken Recipe
We love this with sweet potato, rice or potatoes!
A delicious Adobo Salad is nice.
Green Beans or Asparagus works too!
Tips and Tricks for Caprese Chicken Recipe
- For a lighter version, don’t make the cheese sauce, simply top with fresh mozzarella slices.
- Try mozzarella slices on the inside of the chicken.
- Sprinkle fresh basil over the top.
- Bake as many or as few as you like in a single baking dish. You can see from the photos that I had to use a large baking dish and a small one to serve the crowd that I fed!
- When cutting the chicken breasts, leave about 1/2 an inch at the side that isn’t cut so that it holds together.
- If you buy the chicken breasts that are HUGE (about a lb per each), you’ll need to cut those in half and then butterfly them as I have in the photos. Small organic chicken breasts, you can simply butterfly.
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Caprese Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken breast skinless/boneless
- 1/2 Cup Pesto store bought is fine
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 Tbs Butter
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbs minced garlic
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 4 leaves Basil chiffonade
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
Instructions
for the chicken breasts
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 pan with non stick spray.
- Cut 4 large chicken breasts completely in half as pictured.
- Butterfly each of those chicken breasts by cutting each one nearly in half again
- Spoon 2 heaping tsp of pesto on each half
- Top with 2 heaping tsp of shredded parmesan cheese.
- Close the top half of the chicken over the bottom half and lay it into a baking dish
- Once all of the chicken breasts have been prepared and laid into the baking dish, sprinkle the tomato halves over the top and sprinkle any remaining pesto and parmesan over the top as well.
For the Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop heat butter, cream cheese, garlic and parmesan until melted. Whisk to remove any lumps as it heats.
- As soon as the sauce melts, pour it over the chicken
Bake
- Bake the chicken dish, uncovered for 35 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil chiffonade and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve hot.
Notes
- For a lighter version, don't make the cheese sauce, simply top with fresh mozzarella slices.
- Try mozzarella slices on the inside of the chicken.
- Sprinkle fresh basil over the top.
- Bake as many or as few as you like in a single baking dish. You can see from the photos that I had to use a large baking dish and a small one to serve the crowd that I fed!
- When cutting the chicken breasts in half, leave about 1/2 an inch at the side that isn't cut so that it holds together.
- If you buy the chicken breasts that are HUGE (about a lb per each), you'll need to cut those in half and then butterfly them as I have in the photos. Small organic chicken breasts, you can simply butterfly.
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
This morning as I sip my coffee and contemplate this recipe, I’m so grateful for my family. They eat all of the recipes you find here, test them, give feedback AND come over every Tuesday night for dinner. I miss those grown children like you can’t imagine and Tuesday nights are THE BEST! Some weeks they are a rowdy bunch laughing and picking with each other, other Tuesdays they are just getting through the day like most people.
It’s always a blessing to me to be with them. I’ve had the pleasure and honor of watching them grow and trying to teach them a few things along the way. I hope some of it took. I love them dearly.
Psalm 127: 3-4
Wendi
Tuesday 29th of October 2019
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