Chicken Caprese

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When my kids were still in daycare, a group of our friends started a tradition to get together every week for play dates. One of them, Maria, was the queen of chicken Caprese. She would make it every time it was her turn, and everyone loved it — even the little ones. A few years later, I made my own version one summer when my basil plant was growing out of control. And my Caprese chicken recipe has been on repeat at our house ever since. It’s the perfect summery way to elevate your baked chicken breast. Make it with me!

Why You Need My Chicken Caprese Recipe

• Juicy chicken with classic Caprese flavors – If you like Caprese salad, you’ll love my Caprese chicken. It’s fresh, it’s bright, it’s colorful. It’s bursting with fresh tomatoes, melty mozzarella, and aromatic basil. And a drizzle of balsamic glaze captures those Italian flavors perfectly.
• Quick, easy, and hands-off – Hello, 30-minute dinner! It looks a little fancy, but the prep only takes a few minutes. And you need just 6 ingredients (plus salt & pepper).
• Perfect for any occasion – I make this as a healthy dinner for my family, for entertaining guests, and even for meal prep. My chicken Caprese recipe can do it all!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken Caprese, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Chicken – I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts. My friend made hers with boneless chicken thighs. Both are delicious!
• Olive Oil – To keep the chicken juicy and help the spices stick. Avocado oil works, too.
• Mozzarella Cheese – I love fresh mozzarella here for that melty, gooey topping. But shredded mozz or even sliced would work, too.
• Tomatoes – I like Roma tomatoes for this dish, because they are the perfect size and not too watery compared to larger ones. You can also chop up grape or cherry tomatoes, and even throw in sun-dried tomatoes, for a topping similar to my bruschetta chicken.
• Balsamic Glaze – You can easily make my homemade balsamic reduction from balsamic vinegar, and I prefer it because it doesn’t have any additives that store-bought options do. But if you’re short on time, I like this brand that’s pre-made and has no added sugar.
• Fresh Basil – A must for any Caprese dish! I don’t recommend dried herbs for this one.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – See my variations below if you want to add other seasonings.

How To Make Caprese Chicken

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Season the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a large baking dish. Brush with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Partially bake. At this point, the chicken won’t be fully cooked through, but move on to the next step when it reaches 145-150 degrees F.

3. Add the cheese and tomatoes. Top the chicken with mozzarella and tomato slices.
4. Bake again. This time, bake until the Caprese chicken until it’s fully cooked.
5. Finish with balsamic and basil. Rest for 5 minutes, then drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with basil. (I like a combination of fresh basil leaves and ribbons.)

My Recipe Tips

• Don’t crowd the pan. Leave some space between the chicken breasts, to ensure they cook evenly (and don’t take too long, either).
• Use a meat thermometer. I always use this probe thermometer for baked proteins, but it’s particularly helpful for baked chicken Caprese, because you’ll need to add the mozzarella and tomatoes at the right time (when the chicken reaches 145-150 degrees F). For the final baking step, aim for 165 degrees F if you’re using chicken breast like I did here. If you use chicken thighs, I recommend 170 degrees F, because those are more juicy at that temp.
• Why not add the cheese and tomatoes right away? In case you’re wondering, this is because they’ll slide off. Adding toward the end works best.

Recipe Variations

Want to add a little something to your Caprese chicken? Prefer a different cooking method? I’ve got a few variations:

• Pesto – My pesto chicken recipe is very similar to this dish, except I slather the chicken with pesto sauce.
• Seasonings – I keep it simple with just salt and pepper, but garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and/or paprika would make nice additions.
• Stuffed – If you don’t want to fuss with timing to add the tomatoes and mozzarella, you can do it upfront by stuffing them inside before baking. (The method is similar to my spinach stuffed chicken breast, but with the Caprese filling.)
• Grilled – Too hot to turn on the oven? You can make chicken Caprese on the grill using the same steps. Just follow my timing for grilled chicken breast, and add the tomatoes and cheese in the last few minutes of grilling.
• Stovetop – To cook in a skillet, follow the timing of my pan seared chicken breast (skip the sauce). When the chicken is almost done, add the tomatoes and mozzarella, and cover with a lid to let the cheese melt.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I like to repurpose them for my chicken Caprese salad, or toss them with zucchini noodles.
• Reheat: Pop the chicken Caprese in the oven again at 350 degrees F, for about 10 minutes. The microwave tends to dry it out.
• Freeze: The tomatoes get a little mushy if you freeze this dish, but you still can, for up to 3 months.

Serving Ideas

Chicken Caprese is an Italian-inspired dish, so it goes well with Italian flavors, but it’s also versatile enough with basic sides. Here are some of my favorites:

• Vegetables – I love this with roasted eggplant, ratatouille, or balsamic roasted vegetables, and you can bake them at the same time if you swap the pans halfway through. If you’d rather cook your side using a different method while your Caprese chicken bakes, try my air fryer brussels sprouts, sauteed zucchini, or sauteed asparagus. Drizzle extra balsamic glaze over your veggies!
• Salad – My tomato cucumber salad is light and refreshing. (I’ve got a simple version of this pictured above.) Or try my simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette.
• Starches – For a more filling meal, make my roasted potatoes or simple rice. I like mashed cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice for faster, lighter options.

More Caprese Recipes

If you like my chicken Caprese recipe, try my other recipes with tomatoes and basil:

Avocado Caprese Salad

Caprese Skewers

Crustless Quiche

Tomato Bisque

My Tools For This Recipe

• Baking Dish – My fave! It’s pretty enough to double as a serving dish.
• Probe Thermometer – It just beeps when it’s ready! But an instant-read thermometer works too.

Recipe Card

4.97 from 31 votes

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Chicken Caprese (Easy Recipe)

Make my easy chicken Caprese recipe in just 30 minutes! Juicy chicken is bursting with sweet tomatoes, melty mozzarella, and fresh basil.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 medium Boneless skinless chicken breasts ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 4 oz Fresh mozzarella cheese (sliced) ▢
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes (sliced thinly) ▢
• 2 tbsp Balsamic glaze ▢
• 1/2 cup Fresh basil (cut into ribbons) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

2. Place chicken breasts into a large baking dish, with enough room to have space between them. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then repeat on the other side.

3. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F (65 degrees C).

4. Top the chicken with mozzarella, then tomato slices. Bake for 5-10 more minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

5. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with fresh basil.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken breast 

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 295

Fat 16.4g

Protein 30.7g

Total Carbs 5.5g

Net Carbs 5g

Fiber 0.5g

Sugar 2.6g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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Try More Of My Recipes

• 
  Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
• 
  Pesto Chicken
• 
  Balsamic Chicken
• 
  Cilantro Lime Chicken

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Gratitude Moment

After 9 years and even us moving to Florida, we’re still good friends with that small group and chat almost daily. I’m so glad that our kids brought us together when they were babies at the same daycare.

Yesterday, we all went out on our friends’ boat and it was the perfect way to spend a hot Minnesota summer day. Some people in the group couldn’t make it, but was glad to get most of us together. It’s been raining a lot this summer, so I’m grateful for a full day of sunshine on the water, with our best friends. Definitely a summer bucket list item for me!

What’s on your summer bucket list? Let me know in the comments below!