Stuffed Caprese Chicken

Turn your favorite summer salad into the main course with this simple recipe for stuffed caprese chicken. Tomato, cheese and basil flavors galore!

Okay, so I recently broke ALL the caprese rules with my post for Vermont cheddar caprese sandwiches.

Caprese is traditionally made with mozzarella cheese, not cheddar, so for all you caprese purists out there, here’s a slightly more authentic caprese recipe…it does include the traditional mozzarella, basil and tomato, but we are going to take things a step further by amping up the flavor with pesto, and by squooshing it all into a piece of tender chicken.

Because if caprese anything is amazing as a side dish, it’s even more amazing when it takes center stage as the main course!

Here’s how you make stuffed chicken caprese!

Get yourself some nice plump boneless chicken breasts and a sharp paring knife.  Slice an opening lengthwise into each chicken breast so you have a little pocket to fill with the cheese and tomato, making sure not to cut all the way through.

Now fill up that opening with 2 slices of mozzarella, 2 to 3 of the tomato slices and 3 to 4 basil leaves.

(Side note: you can use any tomatoes you like with this, from cherry tomatoes to heirlooms.  If you DO run across any heirloom tomatoes, I promise you they will be the best tasting tomato you have ever eaten, and you can pretty much only get them in the summertime.)

They aren’t the prettiest tomatoes on the block, but they win the prize for fabulous tomato taste, hands down!

Back at the recipe, close up the opening with a toothpick (just enough to keep the ingredients inside – it doesn’t have to be totally closed).  Brush the chicken on both sides with the pesto.

Next up, heat a little olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on the first side, then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes.

Pour in some chicken broth, pop a cover on the the skillet and cook it all up for another 3-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. While this is happening the cheese is going to melt and the tomatoes will soften up and oh my my.

I like to drizzle any juices from the pan over the chicken and give the top a swirl of pesto and a few basil leaves.

Then when you cut into it, THIS happens.

Melty tomato-y caprese deliciousness!

I like to serve this up with a simple cherry tomato and cucumber salad, but you can do buttered pasta on the side, or even zucchini zoodles.  But the star of the show is definitely this fancy scrumptious chicken.

I think I am done caprese-ing things.  FOR NOW.

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