Caprese Skillet Chicken is a healthy, colorful stove top 30 minute meal that will get raves from everybody — be prepared to make this on a weekly basis because the family’s going to demand it!

This recipe for Caprese Skillet Chicken comes from the brand new, hot off the presses The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook, from one of my best blogging buddies, Mary, from Barefeet in the Kitchen. We got to know each other virtually when we were just newbie bloggers, and we’ve becomme great friends ever since. Mary’s cooking style is down home, authentic, hearty, and always delicious. She feeds three hungry boys and a husband on a daily basis and she’s mastered the art of the quick dinner. I’ve made so many of Mary’s recipes over the years and I can’t think of a more trusted source for great food.

True story — when it came time for me to make this chicken, I gathered all my ingredients together about an hour before dinnertime just like I do every night. I started to go through the recipe and quickly realized that the whole thing was going to be done in a matter of MINUTES, and I was going to be waaaaay early with the meal…so I had to put everything aside and go read a book (aka surf Pinterest) for an hour before I needed to get to work 🙂 If I had been more observant, and less eager to eat, I would have noticed that my Caprese Skillet Chicken was part of Mary’s 15-25 Minute Meals Section — thanks Mary for a lightning quick and super delicious meal, and thanks for all the extra free time!

What makes this meal so brilliant, and so fast, is that the chicken breasts are sliced in half lengthwise, so they cook in no time, and the mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil get warmed through, just enough to get the cheese all melty, but not long enough to destroy that wonderful fresh flavor and texture that Caprese is famous for.

TIP: Make this extra pretty with colorful heirloom tomatoes.

TIP: Fresh mozzarella is notoriously difficult to slice, especially thinly. For an easier time of it, freeze the cheese for 2 hours to firm it up.

This book is going to be one of those that you keep right on the counter, or better yet, it’s compact enough that you might store it in your in purse so you can whip it out at the grocery store. Here’s a sampling of the recipes I’ve got on my list for the coming weeks:

Green Chile and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Cheesy Mexican Pasta
Philly Cheesesteak Potato Skillet
Cheesy Enchilada Rice Skillet
Honey Chipotle Meatloaf
Creamy Green Chile, Chicken and Spinach Enchilada

The words ‘cheesy‘ and ‘skillet‘ come up a lot in these recipes, to give you an idea of what you can expect…

Recipe from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook

Caprese Skillet Chicken

3.78 from 9 votes

Caprese Skillet Chicken is a healthy weeknight meal that takes literally minutes to put together from start to finish!

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Prep Time:10

Cook Time:20

Total Time:30

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3, or 6 chicken cutlets
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus a pinch for finishing
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for finishing
1 tsp dried basil
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
2 medium tomatoes, I used heirlooms and a few cherry tomatoes for garnish)
8 large basil leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, making thin cutlets. If the chicken is still more than 1/2 inch thick, lightly pound the cutlets until they are an even 1/2 inch in thickness.
Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, and dried basil. Slice the cheese into 1/4 inch thick slices, slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices, and slice the fresh basil into thin shreds. Set on a plate next to the stove.
Warm a large stainless steel skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer across the skillet. Cook without touching for 90 seconds.
Reduce the heat to medium. Flip the chicken over and top each piece of chicken with cheese and then tomato slices and cover with a lid. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The cheese should be just beginning to melt over the chicken.
Remove from the heat, uncover and test the chicken for doneness. It should be white throughout with barely a hint of pink.
Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper and top with the fresh basil. Drizzle with the balsamic just before serving.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: cast iron skillet, chicken, chicken breast, family, healthy

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cutlet · Calories: 264 kcal · Carbohydrates: 2 g · Protein: 31 g · Fat: 14 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Trans Fat: 0.01 g · Cholesterol: 95 mg · Sodium: 505 mg · Potassium: 545 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 597 IU · Vitamin C: 7 mg · Calcium: 158 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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notes:

We had this with couscous (great for soaking up the juices) and steamed broccoli.
As Mary notes, don’t skip the finishing touch of a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, it brings it all together.

don’t forget to pin it!

The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook is hot off the presses this month and I highly recommend picking up a copy — it’s on Amazon, HERE. I’ve purchased copies for both of my daughters, who are newly living on their own with full time jobs.

3.78 from 9 votes (9 ratings without comment)