Italian
Caprese Chicken Skillet
Chicken, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella share a skillet, with basil and balsamic at the end. It looks like a summer plate and cooks like a Tuesday.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total
- 24 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The tomatoes burst and make the sauce.
- Mozzarella melts in the covered pan, no broiler required.
- Basil goes in off the heat so it stays green.
- It is a high-protein dinner with a short list.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sear in 1 tbsp oil over medium-high until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
- 2
Add the tomatoes and garlic around the chicken. Cover and cook until the chicken is 165°F and some tomatoes have burst, about 6 minutes.
- 3
Splash in the balsamic vinegar.
- 4
Lay the mozzarella over the chicken. Cover 1 minute, off the heat, until it softens.
- 5
Tear the basil over the top and drizzle the remaining oil.
- 6
Serve while the cheese is still stretchy.
Pro tips
- Covering the pan melts the cheese without a broiler.
- If the chicken is very thick, pound it or slice it in half.
- Use fresh mozzarella if you want it softer, or low-moisture if you want less water in the pan.
Easy substitutions
- Mozzarella
- Provolone slices.
- Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar plus a pinch of sugar.
- Chicken breast
- Thighs, cooked to 165°F.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm covered on low until the chicken is hot. The cheese will not look the same, and that is fine.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 390
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Gluten-Free, Lower-Carb, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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