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This amazing Balsamic Caprese Chicken Skillet is everything you want in an easy dinner! Delicious chicken cooked in butter balsamic and fresh tomato sauce topped with basil and gooey mozzarella. You’ll love that this dinner comes together with just one pan and less than 30 minutes! Keto friendly, gluten-free, and low carb!
Winner Winner Easy Chicken Dinner!
Sometimes the most simple ingredients make for the best tasting dinners!! We’re going all out on simplicity, ease, and absolute deliciousness with this one pan dinner made in less than 30 minutes.
Back when this recipe was first published, I was fresh off a trip to Italy and had fresh tomato sauce recipes in my head. All I could think about was tomatoes, and cheese, and basil, and balsamic!! You get the idea about the inspiration of this dish. I was also dreaming about pizza, gelato, proscuitto and salami too…..But we’ll save that for another time 😉
As a nutritionist, I also know the importance of using in-season produce for maximum flavor and nutritional benefit. My favorite part of this dish is the simplicity of in-season tomatoes and basil, but also the butter and balsamic really make this sauce fantastic. Definitely some comfort food here. Because sometimes in life, we just need a little butter. And fresh summer cherry tomatoes. So let’s get started!
For nights when you want a skillet chicken with a bright, zesty twist, my 15-Minute Skillet Cilantro Lime Chicken Tenderloins is another favorite…fast, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights.
How to make Balsamic Caprese Chicken Skillet:
Let’s gather up our ingredients:
- butter (can use ghee in it’s place)
- garlic
- chicken breast
- cherry tomatoes
- balsamic vinegar
- buffalo mozarella
- fresh basil
- sea salt to taste
Just a handful of REAL FOOD ingredients!
The Directions:
- Begin by heating up your pan and adding some butter (1/2 stick) and garlic (make sure the pan is very hot before you add the butter and garlic). The butter will turn a nice golden color very quickly. This is a good thing. Let the garlic get flavorful for only about a minute.
- Add the chicken, and sauté on each side for just a few minutes. The chicken will not be cooked through, but we will reserve it for later.
- Now add the rest of the butter and the cherry tomatoes to the pan with butter. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add a lid. You’ll cook for another 5-7 minutes until your tomatoes soften and can be mashed a little bit.
- Add 2 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar, and then place the chicken on top. At this point you’ll cover the the chicken with a lid and let it cook with the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, or until it’s almost cooked all the way through.
- Now add your buffalo mozzarella. Once again, cover the chicken with a lid. Cook for another few minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle some fresh basil, and drizzle the rest of your balsamic.
It’s ready to eat!! You’ll need to salt this up a bit, and add more balsamic to your liking.
Serving:
Serve hot. I served this to my kids with crusty bread and they loved it. I ate this on top of a bed of arugula myself without any starch. Pasta or zucchini noodles would also be perfect with this dish.
My Easy House Salad also makes a delicious pairing!
Paleo/Whole30 option:
You could easily omit the mozzarella cheese and the butter. In place, use ghee for cooking (to get that buttery flavor). In place of mozzarella, you can also use slices of avocado. No need to go that extra step in melting the cheese with the lid!
Balsamic Caprese Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp grass fed butter or ghee, divided
- 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
- 4 medium to large chicken breast
- 1.5 lbs cherry tomatoes
- 4 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
- 6 oz buffalo mozzarella cheese*, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken breast by pounding to less than 1 inch thick. Set aside.
- Begin by heating a large skillet pan to medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 2 tbsp of butter and crushed garlic. Simmer for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is golden.
- Add chicken breast. Cook on each side for 2 minutes, until the chicken is golden. It will not be cooked through, set aside for later.
- Add the other 2 tbsp of butter to the pan, then toss in the cherry tomatoes. Cover the pan, and cook the tomatoes for another 5-7 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened and can be pressed down to make a thick sauce. Mix in 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and salt.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cover. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through.
- Place mozzarella slices on top of the chicken and cover. Simmer for another few minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Drizzle with remaining balsamic and add fresh basil. Serve warm on top of a salad, with crusty bread, or with pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe with minimal ingredients that provide robust flavor.
This was/is very very savory! And not much prep work! We are a big fan of your recipes. Thank You!
This recipe did not disappoint! It almost seemed to easy to put together to be so delish! I did sauté mushrooms before adding the tomatoes and I used chicken thighs vs. breasts. A definite family winner!!
Love to hear that, thanks Kristin!!
Delicious! Great dinner tonight with a salad and some crusty bread.
Thanks Cindy! Glad you enjoyed it!
What a wonderful recipe. I tried this tonight and it was so easy to make and very tasty!