This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
This Italian Chicken Caprese comes together in under an hour! It's fresh and full of authentic Italian flavor!
Have you ever noticed; there's a certain cuisine that's universally popular? Everyone seems to go crazy over it; old folks, wee ones and all those in between. Diners with picky appetites as well as adventuresome epicureans. It's always a popular choice for fancy nights out and cosy dinners in. (Spoiler alert: this Italian Chicken Caprese is a delicious representation of the cuisine I'm referring to.)
You probably know by now, I'm talking about Italian food (since you read the title of this post). There's a wide spectrum of favorites in this culinary category. There's traditional (at least here in the States) spaghetti, lasagna and pizzas to zillions of delicious gourmet entrees. And each region of Italy has their own unique specialties. The common denominator in delicious Italian food is simple, fresh, high quality ingredients.
I love surprising my family with Italian fare at home as it always brings smiles of delight. But preparing wonderful Italian dishes from scratch is generally a time consuming affair. Not a problem,if I have a stay-at-home-day with hours to keep an eye on a simmering pot. That's not the norm at my house though and I'm thinking it's probably not at yours either.
So it's my pleasure to introduce you to this wonderful Italian dinner delight, loaded with bright, vibrant flavor, fresh color and simple ingredients. You can have this Easy Italian Chicken Caprese on the table in well under an hour, making it perfect for quick weeknight dinners or easy company fare. Everyone in the family loved it when I served it for dinner last week. They declared it to be quite "blog worthy".
So I made it again, this time, for you! We snapped some photos, trying hard not to drool. It was as wonderful as we remembered. I think you'll love this Easy Italian Chicken Caprese too!
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ pounds skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 2- inch sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms halved
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- 4 large cloves garlic minced fine
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 10 ounces fresh mozzarella thinly sliced and placed on several thicknesses of paper towels to drain any excess liquid
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- sea salt for finishing
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
-
Place chicken in a large zipper bag or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a flat bottom pan or a meat pounder until flat and thin (about ½ inch). Cut into serving size pieces. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
-
Place balsamic vinegar in a small pan. Add rosemary sprig and bring to a boil. Reduced to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons (or half of the original volume). Remove rosemary sprig and set aside.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot, swirl pan to coat with oil then add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. At first mushroom mixture will seem quite dry. After a minute or two the mushrooms will begin to release their liquid. Continue cooking and liquid will be reabsorbed, then mushrooms will begin to take on a golden hue. Add 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary and this point and continue cooking until deep golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
-
Wipe out pan with a paper towel. Heat pan again over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and dried spices and salt and cook for 20 seconds. Increase heat to medium high and immediately add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally just until tomatoes are beginning to wilt, about 4-5 minutes. Add chopped basil and transfer tomatoes to bowl with mushrooms.
-
Wipe out pan again with a paper towel and heat over medium-high heat. Add last two tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken and cook until first side is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip chicken to other side and cover pan. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Do not over cook or meat will be tough.
-
Remove cover and top chicken with fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Cover pan and allow cheeses to melt. This will take 2-3 minutes. When melted, remove cover and scatter with tomato/mushroom mixture, leaving some of the cheese exposed.
-
To finish, sprinkle lightly with sea salt, drizzle with balsamic reduction and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
-
Serves 4
Laura Dembowski says
I'm actually not a huge fan of Italian food most of the time because it always seems heavy, but the bright, fresh flavors in this could definitely make me fall in love.
Beth says
My 15-year old is quite a picky eater, and we always know that if we go out to an Italian restaurant we'll all be happy. This dish looks great, and I'd love to recreate it!
easyfoodsmith says
Such a fab looking chicken dish. I love anything Italian and this would go down superb with my family.
My first visit at your blog space and I am so glad I stumbled upon here!
Liz Berg says
Oh, my gosh, does this look terrific, Chris! I love Caprese everything...and I've never thought of using these ingredients on top of chicken. Love the mushrooms, too. You've done it again!
Mr. & Mrs. P says
What a great dish Chris!!! Looks so flavorful and comforting!!!
Lynn@Happier Than a Pig in Mud says
Wish I had a nice big serving right now! Very colorful and seasonal:@)
Ginny says
Yum! Both really healthy AND with gooey cheese, it has it all!
Gloria Baker says
Look beautiful Chris!!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
You always make great Mediterranean dishes, Chris! And this one is not an exception. So lovely!
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Look at that lovely cheese and all the pretty colours! Well done Chris. I definitely agree with you. Italian food is loved by nearly everyone!
Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon says
Chris my mouth is watering. I love the balance of red and yellow tomatoes.
twodogsinthekitchen says
I can see why they said it was blog-worthy! Caprese salad is one of my favorites, so to incorporate chicken into the dish sounds very appealing to me. The pics are wonderful 🙂
Kitchen Riffs says
Really good dish! Love all the colors, and the fact it's a one-dish meal. Super post - thanks.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
What a absolute beautiful dish, the colors are stunning! I can't wait to try this with all our garden fresh tomatoes!
Sandra Lee says
This dish is well worth every minute of preparation. Love the colors and textures!
Pondside says
At this time of year I love to get a new recipe with lots of colourful tomatoes - thanks! This one looks very good!
Debra Ann Elliott says
Yummy in my tummy!
Sophia Del Gigante says
This is so beautiful and delish! I can almost taste it and it is fabulous!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love anything Caprese so I know I'd love this chicken!
Angie Schneider says
Your family is so lucky having you cook for them. This caprese styled chicken looks so colourful and appetizing!
Kyle says
I needed something new to do with chicken. I'm excited to give this a try, especially with all the great flavors of summer tomatoes and basil.
La Table De Nana says
Well this sounds so good!
You describe the recipes so well Chris:) Love the color the tomatoes bring to this beautiful dish.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Oh Chris - yum! Cheese, fresh herbs, balsamic, chicken - all my favorites. And yes I want to sit around at home stirring a pot of fresh marinara and watch my bread rise! OK I'm over it now - back to work. Putting this on my 'pile' of must make recipes 🙂
Jennifer@ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
I feel like you made this just for me! What a wonderful Italian dish! I do agree with you that Italian food is a cuisine that everyone goes crazy for, especially in this house!! I love your recipe!!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Italian food is always welcomed in our home. What a pretty dish with the colorful tomatoes and basil.