This Chicken Caprese Recipe with Lemon and Thyme transforms a classic Caprese salad into a flavorful meal! It strikes the right balance between being satisfying but not overly heavy.
One of the best things about summer is the food.
Whether your favorite is corn, watermelon, peaches, green beans, or tomatoes, there seems to be some new local produce popping up at the farmers market every week. I, for one, am hard-pressed to choose a favorite.
I think for me it might be a combo of seasonal flavors, like blackberries + mint or sweet corn + zucchini. Right up at the top of the list are heirloom tomatoes, especially if fresh herbs like basil and thyme are involved.
Caprese salad is always a hit, and a beautiful way to showcase summer flavor and freshness. But the truth of the matter is that the internet just doesn’t need another classic Caprese recipe, so I put a little twist on it. Enter this Chicken Caprese Recipe!
I added lemon and thyme-marinated chicken to make it a meal, swapped out balsamic vinegar for a bit lighter and more refreshing red wine vinegar, and added toasted pine nuts for crunch.
Serve it with a big green salad, corn on the cob, or anything that comes out of your garden, and this is the ideal summer supper!
What is Caprese?
In Italian, Caprese means “of Capri”, which is an island in Italy’s Bay of Naples.
Caprese often refers to a type of salad containing mozzarella, tomato, basil, and olive oil.
How to Make Chicken Caprese
Chicken Caprese is so easy to make, it’s sure to become one of your summertime dinner favorites!
- First, marinade the chicken, and then cook it (I like to grill it for this).
- Second, slice the cheese and tomatoes.
- Lastly, arrange the chicken, tomato, and mozzarella on a platter and top with EVOO + vinegar, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil.
- Enjoy!
Chicken Caprese Pasta
To make this dish into pasta, you can use bocconcini (baby mozzarella balls) and cherry tomatoes (cut the tomatoes in half).
Thinly slice the chicken after grilling.
Toss together the bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, and pasta (any shape you like) with a good splash of vinegar (balsamic or red wine) and EVOO.
Top with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.
Chicken Caprese Sandwich
This dish also makes a delicious sandwich! To do so, simply layer the chicken, mozzarella, and tomatoes on ciabatta bread. Add a splash of vinegar and EVOO, as well as toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
What Are Chicken Cutlets?
Chicken cutlets are boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are cut in half and pounded thin.
If you can’t find thicken cutlets at the grocery store, you can easily make them at home!
More Delicious Summertime Chicken Recipes:
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
- Grilled Chicken and Peanut Sauce
- BBQ Chicken Salad Bowls
- Grilled Buffalo Wings
- One Pan Greek Baked Chicken Dinner with Tzatziki Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Chicken Caprese Salad with Lemon and Thyme
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic peeled and cracked
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded into cutlets
Salad:
- 2 heirloom tomatoes sliced
- 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- handful fresh basil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the chicken in a large bowl, and stir to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through (there should be no pink in the center). Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes after grilling.
- To assemble the salad, arrange the chicken and tomatoes on a platter. Drizzle on the vinegar and oil and sprinkle on a little salt and pepper. Scatter the pine nuts and basil on top and serve.
Helpful Tips
- Net Carbs: 5g per serving
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on July 24, 2017. I updated it with more information on May 1, 2020.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Truly appreciate your creations ! You have a big fan over here :-)
I love your blog..its absolutely beautiful…reading your recipes makes me cook and create art in the kitcken!
I do have a favor to ask i have the hardest time pounding chicken..it never turns out right.
Please share any ideas and tools you might use.
Thank you again for your Art.
Allison, Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog! I am so happy to hear that you find my recipes inspiring; you made my day! As far as pounding chicken, here’s my method: 1) if the breasts are very large I cut each in half; 2) place 1 piece of chicken between 2 sheets of parchment paper (I use parchment paper because it’s thicker than wax paper); 3) use a meat mallet to pound out the meat, working from the center out. I hope that helps and thank you again. xoxo