Caprese Chicken Frying Pan

medinews September 2, 2020

157 4 minutes read

This caprese chicken pan is topped with a honey balsamic vinegar reduction and fresh basil, the perfect way to use fresh summer tomatoes.

Caprese Chicken Frying Pan

The classic Italian combination of tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella is one of my favorites. This Caprese Chicken Pan contains all of the signature Caprese salad ingredients and adds chicken, red onions, garlic and thyme to make a delicious yet easy summer dinner. For more Caprese-inspired recipes, try my Chicken and Spiral Zucchini Caprese and the French Bread Pizza Caprese.

This Caprese Chicken Skillet recipe is taken from my friend Erin's gorgeous new cookbook, The Well Plated Cookbook (Affil Link), which features 130 quick, healthy recipes you might actually want to eat. Her book includes tips for storing and reheating leftovers, as well as creative ways to transform them into a whole new dish. When I saw the cover of their book that featured this Chicken Caprese Recipe, I knew I had to do it. I'm so glad I did it, it was delicious!

LEFTOVER LOVE: To reuse leftovers, you can turn them into one Caprese Chicken and Rocket Salad. Chop the chicken scraps. Place in a mixing bowl with the remaining tomatoes, mozzarella and a few handfuls of rocket. Drizzle with a few dashes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw to combine.

What is Chicken Caprese?

Chicken Caprese uses the ingredients in a Caprese salad and cooks them in a pan with the chicken. It is served warm so that the mozzarella melts nicely and the tomatoes become even sweeter when cooked.

The chicken is cooked in a cast iron pan and then removed from the pan. Then the onions, garlic and tomatoes are added and seasoned with thyme, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and honey. After a few minutes, the chicken with the mozzarella is put back into the pan and drizzled with a balsamic honey reduction and sprinkled with fresh basil.

This recipe uses boneless and skinless chicken breasts that are whipped to ensure even cooking. If you want, you can replace them with bone-in chicken thighs.

What to serve with Caprese Chicken

This balsamic caprese chicken is very filling on its own. However, if you want a side dish, here are some ideas.

More Chicken and Tomato Recipes You'll Love:

Caprese Chicken Frying Pan

Preparation time: fifteen min

Cooking time: 20th min

Total time: 35 min

This Caprese chicken, cooked in a pan and topped with a honey-balsamic vinegar reduction and fresh basil, is the perfect way to use fresh summer tomatoes.

1/2 Cup plus 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of honey, divided
4th small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (24 oz)
1¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, diced (approx. 1 cup)
4th Cloves garlic, chopped (approx. 4 teaspoons)
4th cups Tomato slices: halved cherry or grape tomatoes, (2 pints) or ½ inch diced high season plums or other garden tomatoes
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
4th Ounces partially skimmed mozzarella pearls, (barely 1 cup) or 4 ounce block-style portion skim mozzarella cheese, cut into bite-sized cubes
¼ Cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, thinly cut

In a small saucepan, combine half a cup of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by a little more than half (approx. 15 minutes).
Remove from heat and set aside.
While the balsamic vinegar is being reduced, place the chicken on a cutting board and stretch a large sheet of plastic wrap over it. Lightly whip the chicken breast to an even thickness of ½ inch. Throw away the plastic, then sprinkle the chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and season both sides.
In a large, thick-bottomed pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken breast upside down, being careful for any oil that may splash. Let cook undisturbed for 4 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
Turn over and cook another 3 minutes. Check for degree of doneness. The chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the thickest point when tested with an instant thermometer, and when sliced the juices should drain clear.
If it takes extra time, flip again and continue cooking for a few minutes on each side until done. Total cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken. Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Reduce the pan's heat to medium without extinguishing the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, toss to cover the pan, then add the red onion and let cook for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. As you do this, scrape off the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan.
Add the garlic and let it cook for 30 seconds until it is fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, thyme and the remaining 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of honey, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Turn the heat back up to medium high and cook for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes are tender.
Put the chicken back in the pan, nestle it in the tomatoes and spread the mozzarella all over the place.
Cover the pan and take it off the stove. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes so that the mozzarella becomes soft and melty.
Uncover, drizzle the balsamic reduction over it and sprinkle with the fresh basil. Serve warm.

Portion: 1Piece of chicken, 1/4 vegetables and cheese, Calories: 419kcal, Carbohydrates: 21stG, Protein: 47.5G, Fat: 16.5G, Saturated fatty acids: 5G, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 585mg, Fiber: 2G, Sugar: 7thG