Grilled Caprese Chicken with Basil Vinaigrette is a healthy grilling recipe that's fresh, colorful, and packed with flavor!
Now that we’re in the thick of summer I’m doing anything and everything in my power to keep the heat out of the house at dinner time. Grilling is my current go to, and my current favorite grilling recipe is this light yet filling Grilled Caprese Chicken with Basil Vinaigrette!
Fresh basil vinaigrette is used as both a grilled chicken marinade and dressing for a Caprese salad-inspired topping, and everything’s smothered in reduced balsamic vinegar. Fresh, fun, and flavorful. I don’t know about you but my appetite seems to drop when the temps heat up, but dishes like this one almost always sound appealing.
This recipe materialized after throwing some leftovers together for dinner last week. I had extra basil dressing from our Earth Bowl Salads which I combined with fresh mozzarella cheese and tomatoes from the garden. Grilled chicken was on the menu for dinner anyway, so I tossed everything together and it totally worked! Both Ben and I loved this simple, summery dish!
Start by making the reduced balsamic vinegar, or balsamic reduction. If you’ve never had this stuff, it’s MAGIC. Balsamic vinegar loses a lot of its tang when simmered and reduced, rendering it syrupy and sweet. So amazing. Simply pour 1-1/2 cups balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the consistency is a little thinner than maple syrup.
The reduction will thicken as it cools so you don’t want to let it reduce too much.
Next make the basil vinaigrette that’s pulling double duty as both the grilled chicken marinade and salad dressing.
Add 1/2 cup lightly packed basil to the bowl of a food processor (or blender,) along with lots of salt and pepper, 1 large clove garlic (or two small ones,) 1 Tablespoon honey and 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Pulse a couple times to chop the basil and garlic then let ‘er rip while streaming in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
Add 1/2 the marinade to a Ziplock bag with 4 small chicken breasts that have been pounded thin and seasoned with salt and pepper, then stash in the fridge to marinate for as little as 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, make the Caprese salad chicken topping which features sweet cherry tomatoes. I cannot get enough cherry tomatoes in the summertime and luckily my sweet 100 plant is currently dripping with them! You’ll need 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes.
Tip: for “pretty” halved cherry tomatoes, make sure you’re cutting through the fattest part of the tomato.
Versus the skinny side. See the difference?
Toss the tomatoes together in a bowl with 8oz mozzarella cheese pearls.
If you can’t find the pearls, chopped regular fresh mozzarella is totally fine too.
Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the tomatoes and mozzarella then toss to coat.
When it’s time to eat, grill the marinated chicken over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes a side, or until cooked through.
Plate then top with a big scoop of the Caprese salad topping, and a heavy drizzle of balsamic reduction, and dig in! Like I said, fun and flavorful, and feel-good-food too. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 4 chicken breasts, ~2lbs, pounded to an even thickness
- salt and pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls
For the Fresh Basil Vinaigrette/Marinade:
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, lightly packed
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 large clove garlic, or 2 small cloves
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Pour vinegar into a saucepan then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium then simmer until the consistency is slightly thinner than maple syrup (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan for a moment when scraping a spatula across the bottom,) 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- For the Fresh Basil Vinaigrette/Marinade: Add all ingredients except extra virgin olive oil to a food processor or blender then pulse to roughly chop the basil and garlic. Turn processor on then slowly stream in oil.
- Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper then add to a Ziplock back with half the vinaigrette/marinade. Marinate for 15 minutes or up to a 4 hours in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, combine cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls with the remaining vinaigrette in a large bowl.
- Preheat grill over medium-high heat then grill chicken for 3-4 minutes a side. Plate then top with cherry tomato and mozzarella topping and reduced balsamic vinegar.
Notes
- Don’t go longer than 4 hours of marinating or it can change the texture of the chicken.
- Estimates nutritional information includes the entire marinade.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
So quick and easy – especially if you get the balsamic vinaigrette blaze from Trader Joe’s. This is my son’s favorite which he requested for his “double digits” 10th birthday dinner. :)
This chicken was delicious!! I will certainly make it again.
So glad to hear it – thank you so much for the feedback! :)
Made this tonight and served it salad style over arugula. SO GOOD!!!! Thanks!!!!
The grilled chicken looks so good. I’m not very good when it comes to grilling but this looks delicious that I may have to give it a try.
Love the recipe! I made this last night and it was amazing (I think I even impressed my date :). I don’t have a grill though so I cooked the chicken in the oven at 450 for ~25-30 minutes. Thanks!
I took my Mom 2 the Blue Bird 4 a “Girls Lunch”. I wanted 2 show Mom something new,(2 Mom), & different from chain restaurants in our area North of the river. This quaint Cafe’ off the beaten path was perfect! I now live in Vegas,10 yrs. And as I reminisced of our special day long ago, I cried, as my Mom now suffers from dementia. But photos brot me 2 ur page. Ur pix, captions & Blue Bird put a smile on my face! Thank you 4 appreciating my Hometown and reminding me of that perfect Girls Lunch, and reminding me it is a Joyous Memory!
Made this for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS! Easy to make and very flavorful. Just found your blog and have saved many, many recipes to try out. I was desperately in need of cooking inspiration – Thanks!
Just made the chicken tonight–AMAZING. I live in KC, so I was thrilled to see your post about visiting!
Thank you for all of the basil ideas this summer! I have “trees” of it that I’m trying to use before I have to puree and freeze the rest of it.
I’ve never grilled corn! Yours looks delish.
Hmmmm….looks great. I always say it’s not grilled properly unless it’s a little black.
Made this last night for dinner and it was delicious! Thanks so much for another great recipe! :)
I made this last night for my husband and I – very good flavor, a little heavy on the garlic in the dressing but we didn’t mind since we both had the same garlic breath!