Baked Chicken Caprese
Ingredients
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
4 plum tomatoes
14 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
½ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Balsamic vinegar glaze, to taste
Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
½ tablespoon dried rosemary
½ tablespoon dried thyme
Steps
Pat dry each chicken breast with a paper towel
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so both halves are of even thickness
Place the cut chicken breasts in two 9 inch by 13 inch baking dishes
Drizzle some olive oil all over both sides of the chicken
Lightly season both sides of the chicken with some salt and black pepper to taste
To make the Italian seasoning, add all the herbs in a small bowl and stir until combined
Then season both sides of the chicken with the homemade Italian seasoning
Bake the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit
While the chicken is baking, thinly slice 4 small plum tomatoes.
Cut the basil into thin strips if not cut already as well as the fresh mozzarella cheese
Remove the chicken from the oven and place it on a heat safe surface to finish assembling
Place 2 to 3 tomato slices on top of each piece of chicken or enough to cover the top surface of the meat
Then cover the tomato slices with some fresh mozzarella. Break up the mozzarella into smaller pieces if the slices are too wide for the chicken
Sprinkle two thirds of the basil on top of the chicken
Return the chicken with the tomato, mozzarella, and basil to the oven to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted enough to your preference
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes
Then drizzle some balsamic vinegar glaze all over each chicken piece
Serve the chicken caprese with the remaining fresh sliced basil