Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad

Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad — Juicy chicken coated in balsamic along with plump tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil!! Easy, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! The caprese salad you’ll make AGAIN and again!!

Easy Chicken Caprese Salad

I love anything balsamic, and in the summer I especially love caprese salads. Although tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil know no true seasons for me.

This caprese salad with lettuce an easy salad that’s healthy, ready in 15 minutes, and loaded with flavor. Since there’s already balsamic vinegar on traditional caprese salads, the balsamic chicken was a great complement.

Rather than solely using balsamic vinegar when I cooked the chicken and to dress the salad, I also used Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Balsamic Salad Dressing. It’s made with simple ingredients and is a choice you can feel good about. It enhanced the flavor of the chicken as well as the fresh ingredients in the salad.

If you can’t find this dressing in your area, I recommend another balsamic-based dressing. Or my homemade balsamic reduction would be especially delicious here! 

The chicken is tender and juicy and it’s perfect with the crisp lettuce, creamy fresh mozzarella, juicy ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and peppery fresh basil.

What’s in Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad? 

To make this chicken caprese salad with lettuce, you’ll need: 

• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper 
• Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Balsamic Salad Dressing
• Balsamic vinegar
• Romaine lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella
• English cucumber 
• Fresh basil 

How to Make Chicken Caprese Salad

Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper, then cook in an oiled skillet. When the chicken is about 90% cooked through, add 3 tablespoons balsamic salad dressing and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. 

Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat or until chicken is cooked through. 

To a large platter or bowl, add the lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumber, and cooked chicken. Evenly sprinkle with fresh basil.

Can I Prep This Salad in Advance? 

You can cook the chicken in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can enjoy the leftover balsamic chicken in a cold caprese salad, or you can gently reheat it before assembling the salad. 

Tips for the Best Caprese Salad

You can use any variety of tomatoes you’d like in this salad. Just make sure they’re ripe (they should be quite fragrant, if so). 

Likewise, feel free to mix and match the greens used as the base of the salad. I used romaine lettuce, but a spinach blend, butter leaf lettuce, etc. would work too. 

For the mozzarella, I used small balls called ciliegine but another type can be substituted. Just be sure to use fresh mozzarella for the best flavor and texture. 

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4.65 from 14 votes

Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad

By Averie Sunshine

Juicy chicken coated in balsamic along with plump tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil!! Easy, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! The caprese salad you'll make AGAIN and again!!

Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute minute

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients  

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• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ about 1.25 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
• ▢ salt and pepper, for seasoning
• ▢ ¼ cup Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Balsamic Salad Dressing
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for dressing the salad
• ▢ 4 cups romaine or Italian lettuce blend
• ▢ 1 or 2 medium tomatoes, diced (I used Roma, vine-ripened or cherry tomatoes may be substituted)
• ▢ ¾ cup fresh mozzarella, I used small balls called ciliegine; another type of mozzarella may be substituted
• ▢ ¾ cup English cucumber, diced (regular cucumbers may be substituted)
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh basil or to taste, finely minced

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, evenly season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is 90% cooked through. Stir and flip intermittently to ensure all sides cook evenly.
• Add 3 tablespoons Balsamic Salad Dressing, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, stir to combine and make sure all pieces of chicken are coated.
• Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat or until chicken is cooked through. Allow chicken to rest in pan, off the heat, while you plate the salad.
• To a large platter or bowl, add the lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumber, chicken, and evenly sprinkle with basil.
• Drizzle with salad dressing and balsamic vinegar, to taste. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

Notes

If you can't find this dressing in your area, I recommend another balsamic-based dressing. Or my homemade balsamic reduction would be especially delicious here! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 517kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 54g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 152mg, Sodium: 662mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Marzetti® Brand. The opinions and text are all mine.