This Baked Caprese Chicken Recipe elevates grocery store ingredients at any time of the year. One skillet brings together succulent chicken breasts, sweet burst tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese.

A white platter topped with baked chicken caprese over pesto spaghetti.

This Baked Chicken Caprese is bursting with flavor!

If the word “caprese” makes your mouth water, this is the perfect chicken recipe for you.

While caprese salad is best at the height of summer when tomatoes are at their peak, this Baked Chicken Caprese uses grocery store grape tomatoes any time of the year.

This skillet baked recipe uses simple ingredients to make succulent chicken breasts topped with a sweet burst tomato sauce and gooey cheese.

Why you will love this Chicken Caprese Recipe

  • The chicken and sauce come together in one skillet.
  • Great any time of year. Even when tomatoes aren’t at their peak, this recipe will bring out their sweetness.
  • Looks fancy, but uses ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store.
Caprese chicken skilelt garnished with drizzles of balsamic reduction.

What is Chicken Caprese?

Caprese salad is an Italian salad made with sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. It is named after the island of Capri, where it is believed to have originated.

Chicken Caprese warms this salad up and puts it on top of baked chicken breasts.

Ingredients arranged on a rustic gray surface, including raw poultry, tomatoes, spices, herbs, cheese and butter.

Chicken Caprese Bake Ingredients

  • chicken breasts – boneless, skinless chicken breasts are elevated to something exciting in this baked caprese chicken recipe.
  • salt and pepper – seasoning chicken breast is an absolute must for it to taste as good as it can.
  • olive oil – for searing the chicken in the skillet.
  • onion – white onion adds a subtle sweetness to the tomato sauce. Yellow onion works, too!
  • grape tomatoes – these will burst with juicy sweetness once they are baked.
  • garlic – adds depth of flavor to the sauce.
  • dried oregano – a classic Italian herb that helps season the dish.
  • chicken broth – creates a luscious sauce that ties the dish together.
  • butter – adds richness to the sauce.
  • fresh mozzarella cheese – essential to any caprese recipe!
  • fresh basil – adds a fragrant, fresh flourish.
  • balsamic glaze – this is an optional finishing touch. You can make your own with my recipe for balsamic glaze, or buy a prepared bottle of glaze at the grocery store.

How to make Baked Chicken Caprese

A piece of raw poultry in a plastic bag, in the process of being pounded with a meat malllet.

1. POUND. Pat the chicken breasts dry and use a meat mallet to pound them to an even thickness.

Two pieces of chicken being seared in a skillet.

2. SEAR. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in a skillet with a bit of oil. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Before and after photos showing onions being cooked, then tomatoes and garlic being added to a skillet.

3. SAUCE. Cook the onions in the same skillet until they are golden brown, then add the tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Add the broth and cook until almost all of the broth is evaporated.

Before and after photos showing a tomato sauce being finished with butter, and chicken being added to the sauce.

4. ADD CHICKEN BACK. Stir a bit of butter into the sauce, then transfer the chicken back to the skillet and nestle it into the tomato mixture.

Before and after photos showing chicken topped with cheese in a tomato sauce being baked in a skillet.

5. BAKE. Divide the cheese over the chicken, then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through.

Baked caprese chicken in a skillet, finished with balsamic glaze and chopped basil.

6. FINSH. Spoon some of the tomato mixture over the chicken. Garnish with basil and balsamic glaze.

Home Chef Tips for Chicken Caprese

  • Put the chicken breasts in a gallon freezer bag before pounding them out to keep your counter and meat mallet clean.
  • Use a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and no higher for perfectly moist chicken.
  • If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you can transfer everything to a baking dish before placing it in the oven.
A white platter topped with baked caprese chicken over pesto spaghetti.

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How to Serve Baked Caprese Chicken

My favorite way to serve baked caprese chicken is with pasta tossed with basil pesto. I simply cook the pasta and toss it with store-bought basil pesto and a little bit of the pasta cooking water.

Here I’ve used spaghetti, but any type of pasta you have on hand would be great.

Caprese chicken bake is also really lovely when paired with our recipe for garlic bread and a simple green salad tossed with citrus vinaigrette.

How to store Caprese Chicken Breasts

Any leftovers of this caprese chicken skillet can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to warm the chicken and re-melt the cheese.

A white platter topped with chicken caprese bake over pesto spaghetti.

Chicken Caprese Bake FAQS

How do you keep chicken breasts moist?

Making sure you don’t overcook chicken breasts is the best way to keep them moist. Use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken and remove it from the oven as soon as it reaches 165 degrees F.

Do you have to cover chicken when baking?

In this chicken caprese recipe, you don’t need to cover the chicken while baking. Leaving it uncovered allows the cheese to get golden brown and bubbly.

A black bowl filled with spaghetti topped with a chicken breast covered in mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil and balsamic glaze.

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A white platter topped with baked chicken caprese over pesto spaghetti.

Caprese Chicken Skillet

Author: Lori Yates
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
This Baked Caprese Chicken Recipe elevates grocery store ingredients at any time of the year. One skillet brings together succulent chicken breasts, sweet burst tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese.
5 from 3 ratings
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Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ large white onion finely chopped
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly torn fresh basil leaves
  • Balsamic Glaze for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pat chicken breasts dry and use a meat mallet to gently pound them to an even thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. 
  • Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil; transfer chicken to skillet and cook 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate. 
  • Add onion to skillet and cook 4 to 6 minutes or golden brown, stirring occasionally. 
  • Add tomatoes, garlic and oregano to skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until almost all broth is evaporated.
  • Stir in butter, then transfer chicken back to skillet and nestle it into tomato mixture. Divide cheese over chicken. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
  • Spoon some of the tomato mixture over the chicken. Garnish with basil and balsamic glaze, if desired, and serve immediately. 

Notes

  • Put the chicken breasts in a gallon freezer bag before pounding them out to keep your counter and meat mallet clean.
  • Use a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and no higher for perfectly moist chicken.
  • If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you can transfer everything to a baking dish before placing it in the oven.
Calories: 556kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 64g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 211mg, Sodium: 1328mg, Potassium: 1253mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1678IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 332mg, Iron: 2mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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