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This Caprese Grilled Chicken recipe features juicy chicken breasts stuffed with pesto and creamy fresh mozzarella, then finished with a bright cherry tomato, basil, and balsamic topping. It can be made on an outdoor grill or indoors on a grill pan, making it perfect for weeknights, cookouts, or anytime you want something simple that still feels special.
For more easy chicken recipes, try my cast iron skillet chicken thighs, stuffed chicken wrapped in prosciutto, and coq au vin blanc!
Caprese Grilled Chicken Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy!
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 mins
- 🥣 Cook Time: 15–20 mins
- 🧑🍳 Total Time: 30–35 mins
- 👪 Serves: 4 servings
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Simple ingredients, quick, easy, and flavorful!
Summarize & Save this Content on:
This caprese chicken recipe delivers on every front. It merges a classic caprese salad with tender, flavorful chicken – but then we take it up a notch. Instead of simply melting mozzarella over grilled chicken, I butterfly each chicken breast and fill it with pesto and fresh mozzarella.
The filling flavors the chicken from the inside, while the caprese topping keeps the finished dish bright and balanced. This is my favorite recipe when I’m short on time but want something delicious.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts act as both the protein and the “pocket” for the filling.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese gives the chicken that soft, creamy center. If you have extras, use them for my Bruschetta with Mozzarella, it has that same fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella flavor in appetizer form.
- Basil Pesto adds concentrated basil and garlic flavor inside the chicken. It also provides a little fat, which helps keep the lean chicken breast from tasting dry. That same pesto-mozzarella combo also works beautifully in my pesto chicken Caprese sandwich.
- Cherry tomatoes are naturally sweet and juicy. Letting them sit with salt and acid draws out some of their juices, creating a fresh, spoonable dressing for the chicken.
- Fresh basil leaves bring the classic caprese flavor and a fresh finish that balances the richer mozzarella and pesto.
- Balsamic vinegar adds sweetness and depth, while lemon juice keeps the topping tasting fresh rather than heavy.
How To Make Caprese Grilled Chicken
Step 1: Make the cherry tomato topping. Toss halved cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, kosher salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit while you prepare the chicken so the tomatoes can release their juices and absorb the dressing.
Step 2: Butterfly and season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then slice each one horizontally through the thickest side, stopping before cutting all the way through. Open the chicken like a book and season the inside and outside with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spread pesto inside each chicken breast, then add 2–3 mozzarella slices. Avoid overfilling the chicken, since too much cheese is more likely to melt out during cooking.
Step 3: Optional step: Fold the chicken closed and secure it with toothpicks, if needed.
Step 4: For an outdoor grill: Preheat the grill to 375–400°F and lightly oil the grates. Grill the chicken with the lid closed for 6–8 minutes per side, or until reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
For a grill pan: Preheat the pan over medium-high heat and lightly oil it. Cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes on the first side, then flip, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Continue cooking for 6–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Covering the pan helps the thicker stuffed chicken cook through without burning the outside.
- Rest, top, and serve. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then remove any toothpicks. Spoon the tomato salad and its balsamic juices over the chicken and finish with extra basil or a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if desired.
Britney’s Expert Tips
- Control the heat and let the chicken rest. Cook over moderate heat rather than high heat so the exterior does not burn before the center cooks through. If the chicken browns too quickly, move it to a cooler part of the grill or lower the grill-pan heat. Rest for 5 minutes before topping and serving so the juices can redistribute.
- Bring the chicken closer to room temperature. For best results, remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before cooking. Taking the chill off helps the thick, stuffed breasts cook more evenly from edge to center.
- Secure the filling with toothpicks. Use 2–3 toothpicks to seal the open edge of each chicken breast, weaving them through both sides. This makes the chicken easier to flip and helps keep the mozzarella from sliding out as it melts. Remember to remove them before serving.
- Use a meat thermometer. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the mozzarella filling. Remove the chicken when it reaches 165°F. Checking the temperature is more reliable than cutting into the chicken, which releases its juices.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it with crispy roasted potatoes or garlic parmesan smashed potatoes, lemon garlic pasta, or keep it simple with crusty bread to soak up all those tomato juices.
For a lighter summer side, serve this with my Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze.
Recipe FAQs
Insert the thermometer from the side into the thickest portion of chicken meat. Avoid pushing the probe into the mozzarella pocket, since melted cheese can give you a misleading reading. Check more than one area if the chicken breast is especially thick.
Butterflying gives me more surface area for evenly spreading the pesto and mozzarella. It also lets me season the chicken inside and out and makes the thickness easier to assess before grilling. A small pocket can hold the filling more securely, but it is harder to distribute the cheese evenly and easier to accidentally cut through the opposite side.
Use thin slices of fresh mozzarella, leave about a ½-inch border around the edges, and avoid overfilling the chicken. Securing the open side with 2–3 toothpicks also helps keep the cheese in place while grilling.
You can, but low-moisture mozzarella is easier to contain and less likely to release excess liquid. Fresh mozzarella gives the creamiest filling, so blot it dry and slice it thinly before stuffing the chicken.
Store the chicken and tomato topping separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken gently in a covered skillet or 325°F oven, then add the cold or room-temperature tomato topping just before serving.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
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Smoked Chicken Breasts
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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
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Chicken Parmesan Sandwich Recipe
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Mediterranean Chicken Bowl
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Caprese Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- Grill or Grill Pan
- Toothpicks (optional)
Ingredients
Caprese Salad Topping
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (chopped)
- 1/4 Red Onion, (diced)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Oregano, (to taste)
- Kosher Salt, (to taste)
- Black Pepper, (to taste)
Caprese Chicken
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 1/2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt, (more or less as desired)
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 tbsp Pesto
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella
Instructions
- Start by making the cherry tomato salad topping. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a medium bowl with the chopped basil, diced red onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and oregano. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss everything together, then set aside while you prepare the chicken. The tomatoes will become juicier and more flavorful as they sit. 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes 1/4 cup Fresh Basil 1/4 Red Onion 2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp Oregano Kosher Salt Black Pepper
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Place one chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Hold the top of the chicken steady with one hand and, using a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally through the thickest side of the breast. Stop cutting about ½ inch before reaching the opposite edge so the chicken remains attached. Open the chicken breast like a book. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- In a small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Season both the inside and outside of each butterflied chicken breast, gently pressing the seasoning into the surface. 1 1/2 tbsp Italian Seasoning 2 tsp Garlic Powder 2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto over the inside of each chicken breast. Slice the fresh mozzarella into about 1/4 inch slices and place 2-3 slices on one side of each breast, leaving a small border around the edges. Don't add too much, it'll just melt out during cooking. Fold the other side of the chicken over the cheese to close it. 4 tbsp Pesto 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- Secure the open edges with toothpicks, sticking them through both sides of the chicken to help keep the mozzarella inside as it cooks. This step is optional, but it makes the chicken easier to flip and helps prevent the cheese from slipping out.
Outdoor Grill Method
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat, about 375–400°F. Clean and lightly oil the grill grates to help prevent sticking.
- Place the stuffed chicken breasts on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 6–8 minutes on the first side, or until the chicken releases easily from the grates and has deep golden grill marks.
- Carefully flip the chicken using a wide spatula or tongs. Grill for another 6–8 minutes with the lid closed. The chicken is ready when the outside is golden and lightly charred, the center is no longer pink, the mozzarella is soft and melted, and the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
Grill Pan Method
- Place a grill pan over medium-high heat and allow it to preheat for 3–4 minutes. Lightly brush the pan with olive oil. The pan should be hot enough that the chicken sizzles as soon as it touches the surface, but it should not be smoking heavily.
- Add the chicken breasts to the pan without crowding them. Cook for 6–8 minutes, without moving them too much, until the bottoms are golden brown with visible grill marks.
- Carefully flip the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan with a lid or loosely tent it with foil. Cook for another 6–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. The chicken is done when it feels firm but still has a slight spring when pressed, the juices run clear, the cheese is melted, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving (if using).
- Spoon the tomato salad mixture generously over each chicken breast, including some of the juices from the bottom of the bowl. Garnish with additional fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if desired.
Notes
- Control the heat and let the chicken rest. Cook over moderate heat rather than high heat so the exterior does not burn before the center cooks through. If the chicken browns too quickly, move it to a cooler part of the grill or lower the grill-pan heat. Rest for 5 minutes before topping and serving so the juices can redistribute.
- Bring the chicken closer to room temperature. For best results, remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before cooking. Taking the chill off helps the thick, stuffed breasts cook more evenly from edge to center.
- Secure the filling with toothpicks. Use 2–3 toothpicks to seal the open edge of each chicken breast, weaving them through both sides. This makes the chicken easier to flip and helps keep the mozzarella from sliding out as it melts. Remember to remove them before serving.
- Use a meat thermometer. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the mozzarella filling. Remove the chicken when it reaches 165°F. Checking the temperature is more reliable than cutting into the chicken, which releases its juices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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