Summer to me means tomatoes all day, every day. There’s nothing better than a fresh tomato IMO, and our growing season is so short out here in Colorado that I am obsessed with making sure I get my fill of ripe, juicy tomatoes however I can. This recipe is ridiculously easy but looks like it took me a long time, which is (almost) as exciting as a fresh homegrown tomato to me. It’s perfect for summer nights on the patio when your neighbors drop by and end up staying for dinner. Which happens a lot at our house and I love it.
The other thing that’s great about this caprese chicken is that it’s easily turned into a number of other meals later in the week. These ingredients also go great over a salad, on a sandwich, or tossed into some pasta or wrap. It’s also is delicious with arugula! I grabbed some out of the garden last minute to serve on the side, and adding a bit of that peppery lettuce with each bite of chicken took the flavor profile to the next level.
Servings: 6
Total Time: 20-30 minutes
Hands on Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1.5 lb boneless chicken breast
2 medium to large tomatoes
Log of pre sliced fresh mozzarella cheese (I use Belgioioso)
2-3 sprigs of basil (1/4 c)
4T Balsamic glaze
4T avocado oil
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
- Preheat gas grill to medium high heat (around 350-400F).
- Make sure your chicken breasts are of uniform thickness to allow them to cook evenly. For this recipe I like to slice them in half to create 2 thinner breasts. They cook faster and double the surface area I am able to put seasonings and toppings on!
- Rub the chicken breasts with the avocado oil and then season with salt and pepper. If you don’t have avocado oil you can use olive oil, I just like using avocado oil since it has a higher smoke point which makes it healthier when grilling.
- Place chicken on grill and close lid. Allow for chicken to cook about 8 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes. These times will be a bit less if you sliced them in half, so keep any eye on them if you did.
- While chicken cooks, slice the tomatoes and cut fresh basil into strips (known as chiffonade if you’re feeling fancy).
- When chicken is cooked through, place a slice of fresh mozzarella on each breast. Close grill lid and allow for cheese to melt slightly; letting it to adhere to the chicken breasts but not fully melt.
- Remove chicken from grill and place a slice or two of tomato on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle basil strips on top and finish off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and some cracked pepper.
- If you have some arugula around this is delicious served with it! You can either make a little salad by tossing it in some EVOO, salt and pepper, or serve each plate with a few plain leaves.
Note: this can be done on the stove in a skillet or in the oven as well. I am just a giant fan of the full summer dinner experience- which means everything goes on the grill.