One Pot Dinner Recipe: Caprese Chicken (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

Caprese Chicken is a one-pot chicken dinner that tastes like the height of summer no matter when you make it. With juicy tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, creamy mozzarella cheese, and punchy balsamic vinegar, this is an easy chicken recipe you’ll return to again and again.

Even the most creative home cooks can hit a roadblock with chicken breasts. How many ways can you really make this weeknight dinner staple stand out? Turns out, countless ways!

When I’m feeling stuck for ideas, I turn to restaurant recipes (don’t miss my Copycat Chipotle Chicken and Outback Copycat Alice’s Spring Chicken) and mash-up meals (Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, Chicken Pot Pie Soup, or Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, anyone?). This Caprese Chicken falls into the latter category; it takes the best parts of a Caprese salad and a chicken dinner and combines them into one easy 30-minute meal.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: For weeknights, I swear by this quick-cooking chicken cut. Chicken breast tenderloins will save you another minute or two, if you prefer. Boneless chicken thighs also work well; just be sure to cook any of the above to 165 degrees in the thickest part of the meat.
• Balsamic vinegar: Aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, is one of my favorite pantry staples. It’s made from Trebbiano grapes and grape must, which are boiled down into syrup and aged in wood barrels with the vinegar mother. This concentrated, dark-brown liquid is slightly sweet and a total treat in everything fromhomemade vinaigrettes, risottos,glazes, soups, salad dressings, and pan sauces like this.
• Grape tomatoes: Or cherry tomatoes; any small variety will do. Not only do these roast up quickly and burst in your mouth in the most delightful way, but they are also the best option year-round. Smaller tomatoes contain less water, which means you’ll score more concentrated tomato flavor and less seedy, water-logged results.
• Fresh basil: Little can compare to the fresh, peppery flavor of basil straight from the herb garden. That said, you can swap in a pinch of dried basil if it’s winter and you can’t find fresh.
• Fresh mozzarella: With a saltier flavor than regular mozzarella and a lusciously creamy texture that truly makes this dish, you’ll often find fresh mozzarella sold in a liquid brine with a base of whey or water.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering.Arrange chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on one side, about 6 minutes.

2. Flip chicken, add water, and cover.Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees at the thickest part of a breast, about 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

3. Add balsamic vinegar and garlic to skillet and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tomatoes have softened and opened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Return chicken to skillet, nestling among tomatoes. Top with mozzarella cheese.

5. Cover until cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield:This Caprese Chicken recipe makes four dinner-sized servings of chicken and saucy tomatoes.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Caprese Sandwich: A quick summer lunch, great tucked into Soft Rolls, Pita Bread, or Focaccia for a delicious sandwich. For even more flavor, make quick pesto aioli by combining store-bought or homemade pesto with mayonnaise (start with 1 teaspoon pesto for every 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and adjust to your taste).

Recipe FAQs