This easy recipe for chicken caprese salad takes the classic mozzarella, tomato and lettuce salad and adds grilled chicken and a balsamic dressing. The perfect way to jazz up your chicken salad, and to take advantage of some delicious summer basil and tomato!
I am head of the Caprese Salad Appreciation Committee (this is a self-appointed position) and I can and will caprese up just about anything, so it’s wonder that I haven’t cooked up a chicken caprese salad until just now. But better late than never, and this one was worth the wait! Tender chicken marinated in a balsamic vinegar dressing and lovingly laid on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, basil and some cute little mozzarella balls.
Hello, my new favorite chicken salad! Ready for some chicken caprese salad of your own? Let’s make it!
Aside from the overall deliciousness, and the fact that it comes together in no time flat, caprese chicken salad is also a good recipe to make when the power goes out, since the only actual cooking is on the grill. I mention this because we had the thunderstorm to end all thunderstorms yesterday, and yep, out went the lights. I decided to fight back with a glass of this.
One of my new favorite pinot noirs…Rainstorm! You may have noticed in the picture above that the power did come back on, but I had another glass just for insurance. Take that, thunderstorms! And as it turns out, it goes wonderfully with chicken caprese salad.
This easy recipe for chicken caprese salad takes the classic mozzarella, tomato and lettuce salad and adds grilled chicken and a balsamic dressing. #recipeClick To TweetThe trick with caprese salad in any form is to get the very best ingredients you can find. Break out your best olive oil and balsamic vinegar, pick up fresh basil and local tomatoes and lettuce at your nearby farmer’s market, and go for the best mozzarella you can find. I promise you won’t be sorry.
Any ideas for anything else I can caprese? I’m sure I haven’t caprese-ed everything there is to caprese. But at least I finally figured out caprese chicken salad!
Still Hungry? Click on the title of these delicious recipes!
Simple Caprese Salad Skewers from Add A Pinch
Bacon Caprese Salad, from Framed Cooks
Panzanella from Leite’s Culinaria
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Chicken Caprese Salad
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Pin RecipeDescription
This easy recipe for chicken caprese salad takes the classic mozzarella, tomato and lettuce salad and adds grilled chicken and a balsamic dressing!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
- Pinch each of salt and pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small head of romaine or green leafy lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup of mozzarella balls (knows as bocconcini) or regular mozzarella cut in cubes. The best you can find!
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Save 1/4 cup of it for the dressing and pour the rest into a zippered plastic bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag, turn it around a few times to coat the chicken and let it marinate in the fridge for a few hours. At least one hour, but all day is fine!
- Heat the grill to high. Grill the chicken (discarding the marinade in the bag) for 4 minutes per side. Remove and let sit for about 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken is resting, combine the lettuce, tomatoes and cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle with most of the reserved dressing, tasting as you go to make sure you don’t overdress it. Save a little dressing for the chicken.
- Slice the chicken and divide the lettuce mixture among 4 plates. Top with sliced chicken and basil, drizzle the remaining dressing on the chicken and serve!
This looks simply divine! I’ve got some little yellow tomatoes in the garden this year so perfect timing with this recipe! And I’m right there with you on the Oregon Pinot Noir! I’ll have to find some of the Rainstorm and try it out. I have family in Portland, OR so maybe they can help me out in my search. I have caprese-d pasta, but that is kind of a no-brainer. I may just have to borrow your chicken idea and add that to my pasta version. 🙂
Two great recipes that taste great together – we are on the same wavelength, my friend! 🙂
When is the smashed garlic used? I don’t see it mentioned in the instructions. I’m assuming it goes in the marinade, but maybe it gets rubbed onto the chicken.
Oh, good catch! it goes in with the marinade – it’s in the instructions now. Thanks Kitty! 🙂