Time for an Italian dinner night!  This chicken caprese is just… wow.  And super simple  Juicy chicken that’s marinated in a balsamic and garlic marinade, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, minced basil and drizzled with a sweet and decadent balsamic glaze… whew… I’m drooling just thinking about it! When we go out for dinner, a nice Italian restaurant is always in the top few choices.  I just love the flavors of Italian food!  Chicken caprese is my creation of some of my favorite flavors and textures.  And don’t be fooled by the fancy presentation, your kids will probably eat it too!  My almost 5 year old took a couple of bites and proclaimed, “Mommy you have to make this every night!”  I’d say that’s a seal of kid approval Chicken caprese is one of those versatile meals, easy to make for your family for a weeknight meal, but also easy to dress up and make for a fancy meal (it has that impressive factor), and only you have to know how easy it was to make If you’re looking for ideas on what to serve with this chicken, I usually go with a SEASONED GARLIC DIPPING OIL with crusty bread, and some ROASTED PARMESAN CRUSTED ASPARAGUS.  All the flavors just work well together.  A simple side salad would work as well.  The chicken caprese is a perfect mix of hearty, yet still refreshing from the fresh ingredients topping, so it’s great year round.  In fact, the first time I ever made this chicken, it was summer and I let my husband take care of cooking the chicken by grilling it outside.  By the way, ohhhhhh man is it ever good that way!  Those charred grill marks from the grill take this flavor over the moon!  So you could grill inside on a grill pan if you have one, or stick to a standard skillet (a more common cooking pan).  I’ve done it both ways, and it’s amazing either way Getting caramelized and delicious! I usually throw together a little caprese salad to have too… honestly, I think it’s just an excuse to eat more of that glaze!   You can make your own balsamic reduction, or if you’re like me and have zero patience, they make a balsamic glaze you can buy in the store.  A little goes a long way, so it lasts for a while. So incredibly good… sometimes I want to just drink it… I don’t by the way lol Chicken Caprese with Balsamic Glaze   Print Prep time 20 mins Cook time 18 mins Total time 38 mins   Take regular, boring chicken breasts to the next level with a flavorful marinade, delicious caprese topping, and decadent balsamic glaze to finish the dish! Author: The Chunky Chef Recipe type: Entree Cuisine: Italian Serves: 4 servings Ingredients FOR THE MARINADE 8 cloves garlic minced 1 large shallot minced 3 leaves fresh basil minced 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 1½ tsp dijon mustard ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup olive oil TOPPINGS FOR THE CHICKEN 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered 1 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella cheese cubed handful fresh basil leaves minced balsamic glaze Instructions Chop garlic, shallots and basil. Add to gallon size ziploc bag. Add dijon mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. Close bag and shake well to combine. Trim chicken breasts of fat, pierce with a fork, and place in marinade bag. Massage marinade into chicken and place bag on a plate in the refrigerator for approximately 8 hours. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and pull the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator to warm up on your counter. Heat a large oven safe skillet (I use cast iron), over medium high heat with a drizzle of oil. Addchicken to the pan, it should sizzle loudly. Let caramelize for 3 minutes, flip chicken to caramelize on the other side for 2 minutes. Place your oven proof skillet in the 425 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken). If chicken isn't cooked through, place skillet on your burner over medium high heat to finish cooking. While chicken is cooking, chop up your topping ingredients and set aside. Once chicken is finished cooking, allow to rest for a few minutes on a plate to let the juices redistribute. Top your chicken with the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Notes I usually toss together some tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to make a caprese salad to have as well... don't forget to drizzle it with the amazing glaze! Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.2.2885