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Chicken Caprese Salad — serving inspiration
Illustrative serving idea.

Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Chicken Caprese Salad

Grilled chicken and fresh mozzarella make a generous salad, with juicy tomatoes and basil bringing plenty of fresh flavor. The balsamic dressing adds a tangy finish across the cool leaves. Give the chicken its rest, then toss everything lightly and enjoy the salad straight away.

Prep
30 min
Cook
10 min
Total
160 min
Original yield
Serves 5
Ingredients
16 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…
Main courseItalianChickenPrep: 16–30 minutesTotal: over 60 minutesGrillingSalads
Recipe categories & planning details
Meal type
Main course
Primary protein
Chicken
Cuisine
Italian
Cooking method
Grilling
Preparation & total time
Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes
Dish type
Salads

A few quick notes

1. Even out thicker chicken

Pound the thicker parts of each breast to an even thickness before adding marinade, helping the pieces cook evenly on the grill.

2. Refrigerate during marinating

Seal and rub the marinade around the chicken, then refrigerate for the two-to-six-hour marinating stage before grilling.

3. Rest before cubing

After grilling through, rest chicken on a board for ten minutes before cutting it into cubes for the salad.

Get to know the ingredients

Fresh mozzarella pearls

The mozzarella pearls go straight over the chopped lettuce with tomatoes, avocado and basil while the chicken cools.

Basil ribbons

Cut the fresh basil into thin ribbons for the salad, spreading them among the mozzarella, tomatoes and avocado before adding chicken.

Balsamic dressing

Whisk the vinaigrette separately while chicken marinates, then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to dress the assembled salad.

Let’s make it

Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.

MAKE IT YOURS

Ingredients

Original recipe: Serves 5. Original quantities shown.

Estimating…

Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.

How to make it

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Make room for Chicken Caprese Salad

Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.

The last little job

Dress lightly and serve

Toss the salad lightly, drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette or dress individual plates, then serve immediately after adding the chicken.

A little more help as you go

Oil the grill grates

Lightly brush preheated grill grates with olive oil before placing the marinated breasts on them for the first side.

Use the center reading

The grilled chicken should register 165°F in its center on an instant-read thermometer before moving to the cutting board.

A few questions you might have

Can I cook the chicken on the stove?

You can use a cast-iron skillet over medium-high with a tablespoon of oil, omitting honey so the chicken does not burn.

Is a panini press an option?

You can cook the chicken on a panini press instead of the grill. No separate cooking time is provided.

When should I turn the chicken on the grill?

Turn once halfway through cooking, with the directions estimating four to five minutes per side before the thermometer check.

Can I dress each serving separately?

Yes. The final step allows plating the salad first and drizzling each serving with your desired amount of vinaigrette.

Does the avocado go on before the chicken?

Add avocado with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil over the lettuce while chicken cools, then add the diced chicken and toss lightly.

Any more cooking tips?

The chicken can also be cooked on a panini press, or on the stove top with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Omit honey if cooking on the stovetop so chicken doesn't burn. Nutrition estimate based on 1 of the 3 Tbsp olive oil used being soaked into chicken with marinade, and all of the dressing being added. Recipe updated 4/26. Previously included fresh basil in the marinade it has been changed to Italian seasoning and more fresh basil is used in the salad.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: cookingclassy.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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