Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breast (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts layered with mozzarella, basil, and ripe tomatoes topped with balsamic glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ Filling

06 - 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
07 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
08 - 16 fresh basil leaves

→ Balsamic Glaze

09 - ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon honey

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
12 - Extra drizzle of olive oil (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Cut a deep pocket lengthwise into each breast without slicing through completely.
03 - Season both sides and inside the pockets of the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
04 - Fill each breast with slices of mozzarella, tomato, and 4 basil leaves. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.
05 - Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the stuffed breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
06 - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened.
08 - Remove chicken from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then remove toothpicks. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with basil leaves and olive oil as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays ridiculously juicy because the filling keeps everything moist while it bakes.
  • It looks fancy enough to impress people, but honestly takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • You get fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil in every bite without any heavy cream sauces.
  • One skillet and the oven does all the work, so cleanup feels almost reasonable.
02 -
  • Dry the chicken breasts before searing, or you'll steam them instead of searing them, and the whole thing loses that beautiful golden crust.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking; it sounds like a small thing, but those 5 minutes make a difference in keeping the chicken tender instead of dry.
  • The balsamic glaze has to actually thicken to be a glaze; if you skip that simmering step, it'll just be vinegar that runs off the plate.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are thick or uneven, pound them gently between plastic wrap to create an even thickness; this ensures everything cooks at the same rate and no part ends up dry while you wait for another part to finish.
  • Let your fresh mozzarella and tomatoes sit out for a few minutes before stuffing so they're closer to room temperature, which helps them stay creamy and integrate better with the warm chicken instead of creating cold pockets in the center.

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