Chicken Caprese with Pesto Zucchini Noodles
All summer long, my grandfather would serve caprese salads whenever we went over to their house. Pillowy mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil from their home garden, and a drizzle of balsamic and freshly cracked pepper and salt was the simple formula.
Then, there was always pesto served – pesto pasta or just some pesto served as a dip with bread or vegetables. Between the caprese and pesto, summer was complete, and I have such fond memories of going to my grandparents’ home and enjoying these classics.
I’ve taken the caprese pesto combo and made it into a full meal, as a Chicken Caprese with Pesto Zucchini Noodles, a warm chicken dish with melted gooey mozzarella cheese, a tangy balsamic drizzle, and crunchy pesto zoodles on the side.
Bonus points: serve this was some warmed Italian bread and sop up the extra pesto sauce and juices from the tomatoes.
If you want other variations of this meal, try these recipes:
- Zucchini Pesto Caprese Bites
- Pesto Caprese Zucchini Zucchini Noodle Salad
- Caprese Quinoa and Zucchini Bake
Watch our video to learn how to spiralize zucchini using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Chicken Caprese with Pesto Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons pesto sauce
- 4 medium zucchinis Blade D, noodles trimmed
- 4 skinless chicken cutlets
- salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning to season
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- large basil chiffonade to garnish
- For the balsamic glaze:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Place the pesto sauce in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and add in the zucchini noodles. Toss well to combine and set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and once oil is shimmering, add the chicken, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, flip, and cook another 5-7 minutes or until thermometer reads 165 degrees (or slice through and if juices run clear and it’s no longer pink on the inside, it’s done.)
- While chicken cooks, make the balsamic glaze. Place the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer until reduced and thick, like a glaze, about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes over the skillet, making sure to top the chicken with about half of the tomatoes and letting the rest fall into the pan. Add a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken breast, cover the skillet, and let cook until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to plates, drizzle with balsamic glaze, and top with basil. Serve alongside the pesto zoodles.
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