Grilled Chicken Caprese
sandravalvassori.com
Simple to prepare and bursting with bright, fresh flavors, this Grilled Chicken Caprese will be the highlight of your outdoor summer cooking. Tender chicken breasts are marinated, grilled to perfection, and finished with a layer of pesto, creamy mozzarella, and ripe tomato slices. Start to finish, it comes together in less than 35 minutes - perfectly simple, delicious and looks gorgeous, too!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 small cloves of garlic, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- 4 (5-7 oz) chicken breasts
- ¼ cup pesto, plus more for serving
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 even pieces
- 2 medium-sized vine ripened tomatoes sliced into ½″ slices
- ¼ cup balsamic glaze or aged balsamic, optional
- fresh basil, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl or glass container, mix the olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Place each chicken piece between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound meat to even 1/2-inch-thick slices. As you pound each piece, add it to the marinade, tossing and flipping to coat well. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or so.
- While the chicken is marinating, heat a grill to medium-high and oil the grill grates (to do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate).
- Grill chicken over direct heat, with lid closed, for 3 minutes (give it another minute if it has no grill marks). Flip the chicken and cook, with lid closed, for another 3 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF using an internal meat thermometer (it will continue cooking in the next step so it should not be fully cooked through).
- Lower heat to medium, spoon about 1 tablespoon basil pesto over each piece of chicken and top with 1 or 2 slices of mozzarella. Cover and cook until the cheese is just melted and the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°F, about 3 minutes more.
- Transfer chicken to a platter and top each piece with tomato slices. Season the tomatoes with a pinch more salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic glaze. Garnish with a handful of torn basil leaves—the more the better!
Notes
- Stovetop Version: Prepare the chicken as directed up to the grilling step. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, sear the chicken until each side is golden and almost cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Lower heat to med-low, then spoon a small layer of pesto over each piece of chicken. Top with two slices of fresh mozzarella, then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook just until the cheese melts and the chicken is fully cooked through (look for an internal temperature of 165°F). Transfer chicken to a platter and top each piece with tomato slices. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste then drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic glaze. Garnish with a handful of torn basil leaves and serve with any remaining pesto on the side, if desired.
- Don't skip pounding the chicken. Pounding the chicken helps it cook faster and stay juicy. Plus, creating an even thickness means all the pieces will cook at the same rate.
- Have your cheese sliced before you start grilling the chicken. The chicken needs your full attention while grilling so it doesn't overcook. Have the pesto and cheese ready to go on it before you start grilling the chicken.
- Don’t overcook chicken. Chicken breasts are juiciest when not overcooked. The best way to check for doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the chicken; chicken breasts are done when they register 165 degrees F.
- Don't wait until the chicken is fully cooked to top with pesto and cheese. Once you top the chicken with pesto and cheese, it will need to cook a few more minutes to allow the cheese to melt so take this extra cooking time into account when testing the internal temperature.
- Leftovers: Grilled Caprese chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To prevent the tomatoes from making the chicken soggy, it's best to remove them before storing and add fresh ones when reheating.