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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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!!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- about 1.25 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
- 1/4 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)
- 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella (I used small balls called ciliegine; another type of mozzarella may be substituted)
- 3/4 cup English cucumber, diced (regular cucumbers may be substituted)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh basil or to taste, finely minced
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 Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 517Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 662mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 54g
More Summer Salad Recipes:
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Quinoa Salad (GF) – Trying to keep meals healthier and lighter? Make this easy, refreshing, and satisfying salad!
Chicken Orzo Salad — Juicy chicken tossed with orzo, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and a super flavorful lemon vinaigrette!! Easy, healthy, ready in 30 minutes, and a perfect way to use your garden fresh veggies!
Tabbouleh – Never had it? Think couscous or quinoa mixed with vegetables, herbs, lemon and olive oil! Easy, no cooking required, healthy, and packed with so much flavor!
Lemon, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Almond Quinoa Salad – Fast, easy, and fresh! Bright flavors and loads of texture! This clean-eating salad keeps you full and satisfied! Healthy never tasted so good!
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthy! Bursting with fresh flavors from juicy tomatoes, cucumber, basil, parmesan, and tender chicken tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette!
Smoky Chicken, Peppers, and Spinach Pasta Salad – Juicy chicken, crisp bell peppers and pasta with smoked paprika! Fast, easy, healthy and a hit with everyone! Great for picnics, potlucks, or easy weeknight dinners!
Garden Fresh Tortellini Pasta Salad — Juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and corn with creamy avocado, basil and parmesan tossed in lemon vinaigrette with cheese tortellini! Healthy, easy, ready in 15 minutes!
Loaded Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing – Fast, easy, fresh and healthy! All your favorite taco flavors in one big kickin’ salad that everyone will love!
BLT Chopped Salad with Homemade Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing — Fast, fresh, healthy, and satisfying!
Post is brought to you by Marzetti. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #ForTheLoveOfProduce #Marzetti
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Marzetti® Brand. The opinions and text are all mine.
Looks awesome! Thank you so much for providing so many tips, variations and suggestions with each recipe.. your blogs have been a great inspiration in my kitchen and it’s still my very favorite go to site!
Thanks so much and I’m glad I’m your favorite go-to site!
enjoyed this salad there’s a typo there’s no chicken!about 1.25 pounds boneless, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
My favourite salad is diced chicken advocaados shredded carrots crisp lettuce cucumber red onion in balsamic vinegar
Sounds delicious.
My favorite salad is made with spinach, red onions and white wine vinegar…I read it in Cooking Light magazine, tried it and now bring to every picnic I attend…I am always asked for recipe…
I love to add chopped beets, black beans, and cottage cheese to my salads!
Looks delish! My favorite salad is a simple kale salad. The key is to mix some chopped kale with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt… and MASSAGE the kale! Once it is good and soft, you can add whatever you like to it. I love to add some craisins, feta, and pecans… but the possibilities are endless! Salads are so versatile!
This salad looks SO fresh. Balsamic chicken is a perfect addition to a caprese salad :)
I love a dark leafy greens salad with pears, blue cheese, peppered candied pecans, dried cranberries and a shallot vinaigrette.
Balsamic is my favorite! I make something similar to the Caprese salad,but use thinly chopped steak!
My favorite salad is a chopped salad with chicken and honey mustard dressing.
I love salads and eat one everyday so it is very hard to pick a favorite. My go to salad would be a Wedge Salad with small diced tomatoes, some fresh herbs, crispy bacon and topped with blue cheese dressing.
hey girl I love a salad chop up fine with croutons ,blue cheese dressing and ranch and you can’t forget grated cheese! And maybe an egg on the side! Yummy! Plus sunflower seeds!
It’s not my recipe, but not too long ago I made a Vegetarian Kale Salad. It has kale, avocados, crispy chickpeas, fried eggs, and a dressing made with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. It’s delicious!
I like a fried chicken cobb salad
I love putting lots of crunchy vegetables in my salad.
I love different flavor vinaigrettes and love to put them on my salads.
I love salad, any kind of salad will do! Blue cheese, avocado’s, eggs, fresh tomatoes yum yum :-)
Summer and salads just go together perfectly, and this salad looks delicious; I can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
I love adding cooked beets to salads with Balsamic or Vinagarette dressing. They give a salad good color, they add flavor, and beets are good for you too!
We also love dried cranberries and candied walnuts in salads.
There are so many things you can add to salads!!!
I love to make quinoa salad mixed with crumbled feta,black cured olives ,cucumbers and fresh basil.You can add chopped tomato, chopped onions and mix with red wine vinaigrette.I’m sure balsamic would work just as well
I just found your site yesterday and I already wanna try some of your recipes, thanks for sharing !
On my salads I love to add a little bit of some roasted red pepper hummus mixed with some balsamic vinaigrette to give my salad a nice zip as well as add a creamy texture to it from the hummus!!
Thanks for those delicious sounding salads! I look forward to trying several. One fun salad I enjoy making and taking is popcorn salad. It has popcorn, bacon, celery, cheese, etc. It is tasty and friends seem to love it. The ingredients are so unusual. Try it!
I love Taco salad. Some of them anyway. HA!! Your loaded chicken taco salad looks wonderful.
Thanks for a chance to win the Visa Gift Card.
My favorite is a tossed green garden salad with honey/mustard dressing and goat cheese crumbles.
I found your site while looking for new salad ideas..
What a wonderful selection you offer..
I love Caprese Salad and anything balsamic heightens my interest… This will be put together soon… :O)
I love salads that have a lot of “bits” in them, my favorite one is a taco salad from all of the fixings leftover from the tacos I made the night before. Yum!
I love salad, I would say a homemade Cobb is my favorite, with my nana’s homemade italian dressing which I’m learning to perfect to taste just like hers. Nothing made her prouder then when a waitress asked me what kind of dressing I wanted and I said Nana’s!
can you EVER go wrong with caprese?! always so delicious, couldn’t agree more :) pinned! xo
Lemon, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Almond Quinoa Salad looks so good! I like blueberry feta salad.
This salad is the perfect summer lunch meal — it’s so light and fresh and colorful! Here at HW, we can’t wait to try it out.
xo,
The Newsette
http://www.thenewsette.com
I go back and forth between Caesar salad dressing and ranch dressing. I especially love lots and lots of red/orange/yellow bell peppers in my salads!
i love salads with goat cheese, candied pecans, a fruit, and grilled chicken!
Cobb salad is my go to salad.
These all look great! I love cobb salad with grilled chicken, bacon, eggs, and avocado.
I love salads with a lot of mixed greens, grilled chicken and peppers. I also like Italian dressing..I usually choose that for my dressing.
I almost had this exact salad last night–the only difference was that I used goat cheese instead of mozzarella and precooked chicken strips. My salad greens and basil are plentiful right now so I am currently on a kick with this combination or black grapes, blue cheese and balsamic.
I love your combos you mentioned! I love blue cheese and balsamic together. I can’t get enough of those sharp flavors :)
We are lovers of blue cheese dressing on almost any and all salads!