Caprese Chicken Salad (Printer version)

Juicy grilled chicken combined with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a tangy balsamic drizzle.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
04 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Salad

06 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
07 - 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
08 - 9 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves

→ Balsamic Reduction

12 - ½ cup balsamic vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon honey

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, dried Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts.
03 - Grill chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
05 - Arrange mixed greens on a large platter or individual plates. Top with sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and basil leaves.
06 - Layer the sliced grilled chicken over the salad.
07 - Drizzle balsamic reduction over the salad just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, but tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
  • The warm grilled chicken against cool, creamy mozzarella creates this perfect temperature contrast that somehow feels luxurious.
  • You can prep everything while the chicken cooks, so there's almost no scrambling at the end.
02 -
  • Don't slice the chicken the moment it comes off the grill—those 5 minutes of rest make the difference between juicy meat and something that dries out while you're assembling the salad.
  • The balsamic reduction must actually reduce; if you just drizzle straight vinegar on this salad, it becomes aggressively sour and ruins everything beautiful you've built.
  • Fresh mozzarella is delicate and shouldn't sit on warm chicken—assemble everything in reverse order, adding the chicken last so the cheese stays creamy.
03 -
  • If your grill isn't hot enough, the chicken will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose that restaurant-quality crust that makes people say, 'Wow, this is good.'
  • Taste the balsamic reduction while it's still warm—if it doesn't taste intensely sweet and balanced, you haven't reduced it enough, and the whole salad will suffer for it.
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