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.
Yay for Kansas City! It was HOT here this weekend! Thanks for making our city look great :)
I can’t wait to try this one out. :) Love caprese anything! Plus this looks like a nice, lighter but substantial meal.
I adore Kansas City! My husband and I roadtriped to Colorado for our honeymoon last summer and KC was our overnight stopover both ways. If you enjoy coffee, next time you go, check out The Roasterie. They air roast their coffee and there are free tours. You just sign up on their website ahead of time. It was one of our favorite things we did. The shop is themed really well too and it is worth a visit just for the smells! :) We also spent a good hour checking out a kitchen gadget store in the Hallmark shopping center.
Ooo, I can smell it now. Thanks for the rec – we’ll definitely check it out!
Do you drink the Sweet Tea vodka with club soda? I had tried the Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea a few years ago and found it too sweet mixed with lemonade but now I think that’s because of what I was mixing it with. I love the idea of mixing it with plain ol’ soda!
Yep – it’s awesome with club soda!
I have basil I need to use up, along with fresh mozzarella and little grape tomatoes–My mind went immediately to caprese chicken, but I’m definitely trying this marinade tonight!
FYI, the link for the Pinterest follow for Recipe Critic didn’t work for me.
Thanks for the awesome contest!
Please enter me in your $300 Amazon Giveaway contest. I enjoy reading your emails.
That vinaigrette sounds amazing! I always get fresh basil in my CSA and this would be a perfect use for it. Also, you can never really go wrong with a balsamic reduction.
What a great tip about fat cut vs. skinny cut with cherry tomatoes!
I love your pink necklace! So cute! Also, this chicken looks like it was made for me! I’ll have to try it!
that dressing, I have got to make a big batch of it to try!
Was just telling the boyfriend we needed to get a grill!
Eating lots of grilled chicken these days.
Having a contest with the wife who can loose 10 pounds first, this will get me on my way! So far, she’s doing better than me.
But this grilled chicken looks yummy.
KC looked like so much fun! I’ve never been but after your review, I’m totally going next time I’m in the area. This grilled chicken looks perfect for summer and perfect for a weeknight. I love these types of recipes!