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Baked Chicken Caprese is a classic Italian inspired recipe. Juicy chicken breasts are topped with slices of smokey Mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes and basil. Served on a bed of al dente pasta with a drizzle of tangy balsamic vinegar, you’ve got a fast and easy meal that’s classy enough for company.

A close up image of a baked caprese chicken breast on top of angel hair pasta

Baked Chicken Caprese Recipe

Hey guys! Sam back from The Culinary Compass. I’m so excited to bring you the recipe for this awesome Baked Caprese Chicken. It’s got all sorts of summery flavors straight from the garden plus it’s simple so extra bonus points there.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge sucker for anything with a tomato, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic combination. When the summertime comes around and the basil plant is overflowing and tomatoes are all but falling off the vine, caprese salads are my go-to.

What is Caprese?

A traditional Italian antipasto, or appetizer, Caprese is traditionally a salad consisting of fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. I’ve also seen variations with fruits like peaches or strawberries added, which sounds absolutely delicious. We have turned this winning combination into a variety of dishes, like Caprese Pasta Salad and One Pan Caprese Pasta.

4 chicken breasts on a sheet pan topped with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil

How to Make Baked Caprese Chicken

I figured those flavors would go great with a balsamic marinated piece of baked chicken and I was right!

  1. First I poured some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and some salt in pepper in a gallon bag with the chicken breasts just to give the chicken a little more flavor. About 30 minutes in the marinade is perfect, but you can get away with just 15 minutes if you’re strapped for time.
  2. Between the marinade and baking the chicken, it comes out so tender and juicy. Make sure that the internal temperature reaches 165° before you add the mozzarella and tomatoes on top though. It should take around 25-30 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. If you add the mozzarella too soon, it melts straight to the pan which is just a party foul for everyone involved.
  3. The great part about this recipe is that you can eat it by itself, on a salad, in a wrap, or with some pasta on the side! I opted for some angel hair on the side because, well, it’s pasta. The chicken ends up so juicy that you don’t even need a sauce for the pasta for it to still go well together. However you could toss the pasta with some olive oil or butter and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
  4. This recipe calls for a balsamic glaze if you have it. I’ve started to use that to save time instead of having to reduce balsamic vinegar every time you want to use it. If you want to learn how to make it, read through this Rustic Pizza with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction recipe. (Also, make the recipe. So, so good).

a chicken breast sitting on top of angel hair pasta with tomatoes and basil

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned above, Baked Chicken Caprese will go amazing with a side of pasta. I like angel hair but any pasta will do, from rotini or rigatoni to fettuccine. Add a big green salad and some garlic bread and you are good to go.

I mean, come on you guys. Who can resist those mozzarella cheese strings?!

What to do with leftovers

Keep leftover chicken caprese in the fridge in an airtight container. It should stay fresh 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave although I’d recommend 50% power to keep the chicken from drying out and the cheese from getting hard. Freezing is not recommended as the tomatoes would get pretty watery.

Slices of balsamic covered chicken over angel hair pasta with tomatoes and basil

For more delicious chicken dinner ideas, try these:

 For all main course recipes go HERE and for all recipes go HERE.

Recipe
Social media image of chicken parmesan and pasta

Baked Caprese Chicken

4.50 from 2 votes
Baked Chicken Caprese is an Italian-inspired recipe. Chicken topped with slices of Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil for a yummy, fast and easy dinner.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast 4 small breasts
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese 4 slices
  • 1 tomato sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • handful of basil julienned
  • balsamic reduction to serve
  • angel hair pasta to serve

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put chicken in a large gallon bag and add marinade to it. Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a cookie sheet or line with foil. Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°.
  • Put a slice of mozzarella and slice of tomato on top of each chicken breast. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste to each piece. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • While chicken is cooking , bring large pot of water to a boil. Add in angel hair pasta, cook 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
  • Remove from cookie sheet and top with fresh basil and balsamic reduction. Serve with angel hair pasta. Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper and fresh basil.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 55gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 1024mgPotassium: 934mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 516IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 1mg
Keyword caprese chicken

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Sam

Sam is the blogger behind The Culinary Compass where she loves to try new dishes and ingredients from around the world. She hopes to bring experiences of new cultures to her readers without having to leave their home!

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