Garlic Balsamic Caprese Chicken
Juicy caprese chicken, marinated in a garlic balsamic marinade, is baked to perfection with burst cherry tomatoes, melted mozzarella cheese, fresh basil!
Ingredients
- GARLIC BALSAMIC MARINADE
- 8 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 large shallot (minced)
- 3 leaves fresh basil (minced)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- TOPPINGS FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (left whole or sliced in half lengthwise)
- 1 - 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella cheese (sliced)
- leaves handful fresh basil (sliced)
- balsamic glaze (optional)
Directions
- 1
Chop garlic, shallots and basil. Add to gallon size ziploc bag.
- 2
Add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. Close bag and shake well to combine.
- 3
Trim chicken breasts of fat and place in marinade bag. Massage marinade into chicken and place bag on a plate in the refrigerator for approximately 8 hours or overnight.
- 4
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and pull the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator to warm
- 5
up on your counter.
- 6
Heat a large oven safe skillet (I use cast iron), over medium high heat with a drizzle of oil.
- 7
Add chicken to hot pan, and let caramelize for 3 minutes, flip chicken to
- 8
caramelize on the other side for 2 minutes.
- 9
Turn off burner and place pan in oven for approximately 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken).
- 10
While chicken is cooking, chop up your topping ingredients and set aside.
- 11
The last 7 minutes of cooking time, add cherry tomatoes to the pan around the chicken.
- 12
Once chicken is cooked through (use a meat thermometer to be sure it's at 165 degrees F), lay slices of mozzarella cheese over the top of the chicken and return to the oven.
- 13
Change oven setting to BROIL and broil on HIGH for several minutes, until the cheese is melted to your liking.
- 14
Sprinkle chicken with sliced fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.