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Chicken Caprese Salad
This Chicken Caprese Salad is extra scrumptious with the best honey balsamic dressing you’ve ever tasted. It’s healthy, satisfying, and done in under 30 minutes!
Chicken Caprese Salad is a hearty, filling spin on your classic caprese salad.
In This Article
Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadWhat To Serve With Chicken Caprese SaladCommonly Asked QuestionsChicken Caprese Salad RecipeMore To Cook And Eat View more
Why This Recipe Stands Out
Looking for the perfect fresh, vibrant salad to make this summer? Look no further! This Chicken Caprese Salad is sure to be a new favorite. Here’s why:
Seasonal, Fresh Veggies: Like our Watermelon Salad, this caprese salad features juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
Delicious Dressing: The balsamic dressing is unbelievably delicious. You’ll want to make extra!
Complete Meal: Chicken and corn help graduate this salad from colorful side to full meal.
Lunch Tomorrow: Dinner tonight, and leftovers keep beautifully for easy, satisfying lunches the next day.
Quick and Easy: From start to finish, this salad takes less than 30 minutes to make – it couldn’t be easier!
Key Recipe Ingredients
Chicken Breast – We prefer chicken tenderloins as they cook faster. However, you can also cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips.
Kale Greens – Kale acts as the base for this salad, adding amazing crunch and outstanding health benefits.
Cherry Tomatoes – Cherry or grape tomatoes add the perfect little bursts of sweetness to this salad.
Mozzarella Balls – We like mini mozzarella balls for this recipe because they’re so easy to use, but regular mozzarella balls do just fine too!
Corn Kernels – Sweet corn kernels bring even more sweetness and texture to Chicken Caprese Salad.
Avocados – Sprinkle diced avocados with lime juice to prevent them from oxidizing as quickly.
Fresh Basil – One of the main stars of classic caprese salad, fresh basil is a must for this recipe.
Balsamic Dressing – No store-bought balsamic dressing comes close to this homemade version made with fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, and onions.
Substitutions And Variations
Check out some of these simple variations for Chicken Caprese Salad:
Add Some Fruit: In our humble opinion, adding fruit to almost any salad instantly elevates it. Try sprinkling in fresh strawberries like this Strawberry Caprese Salad or adding fresh, juicy peach slices like in this Peach Caprese Salad.
Change the Cheese: While mozzarella is essential for classic caprese salad, we aren’t opposed to switching it up from time to time. Try adding in some fresh, salty feta cheese, creamy brie cheese, or blue cheese.
Swap the Greens: Not a kale fan? No problem! Swap the kale for arugula, spinach, or romaine lettuce.
Make it a Pasta Salad: Trade out the greens for pasta for an unbelievably delicious pasta salad just like our Caprese Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Refrigerate.
Remove excess moisture from chicken breasts with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grease grill and let heat.
Place chicken tenderloins on heated grill and cook until center is no longer pink.
Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken, pour on dressing, and toss salad. Enjoy!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
This grilled Chicken Caprese Salad is the perfect meal prep lunch or dinner. Take a look at these simple make-ahead strategies:
Make the Dressing: The balsamic dressing can be made up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just let it come to room temperature before serving as the oil tends to harden and separate when chilled.
Cook the Chicken: Grilled chicken will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. So, feel free to make this in advance as well!
Chop the Veggies: As always, you can chop the veggies several days in advance and store them in the fridge. However, we recommend saving the avocado for the day of, as it will oxidize pretty quickly.
What To Serve With Chicken Caprese Salad
Breads
We love serving a slice of this Rosemary Garlic Bread next to salads as a supremely satisfying side.
These Olive Garden Breadsticks and soft, tender Naan go amazingly with Chicken Caprese Salad as well!
How about some of the Easiest Garlic Cheese Bread you’ll ever make?
Soups
Nothing hits the spot quite like the tried-and-true soup and salad combo. Try pairing chicken caprese with this Roasted Tomato Basil Soup.
This Curry Butternut Squash Soup is bursting with flavor and pairs wonderfully with any salad.
Desserts
For a refreshing summer dessert, try this vibrant Strawberry Ice Cream or this Creamy Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream.
Making Chicken Caprese Salad late summer? We always take advantage of blueberry season with desserts like this Healthy Blueberry Crumble.
Commonly Asked Questions
How long does chicken caprese salad keep? Chicken Caprese Salad will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. We recommend storing the dressing separately and saving the avocado till the day of, as it will oxidize pretty quick. How can I tell when my chicken is done grilling? You’ll want to cook your chicken until each side has nice dark grill marks and the center turns from pink to white. To be on the safe side, you can always check the internal temperature. Once it reaches 165F, it’s done! What’s another dressing that would go well with this salad? You can always simply use a Balsamic Reduction with this salad to go more of the traditional Caprese route. Otherwise, we highly recommend this Poppy seed Dressing from our Strawberry Chicken Salad recipe. Can I use larger tomatoes in this recipe? Absolutely! We use cherry or plum tomatoes, because of how easy they are to prep; but feel free to use larger varieties like beefsteaks. Just slice or cut them into cubes. What is the best way to prep kale? If your kale isn’t already pre-washed, throw it into a colander and give it a good rinse. Then pat the kale leaves dry with a paper towel to remove as much excess moisture as you can. Pull of any thick stems left on the kale leaves. After that, we like to massage a little bit of olive oil into the kale. This really softens the leaves and helps bring out the flavors.
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Chicken Caprese Salad
This Chicken Caprese Salad is extra scrumptious with the best honey balsamic dressing you've ever tasted. It's healthy, satisfying, and done in under 30 minutes!
Course Main Dish, Salad, Side DishCuisine ItalianDiet Gluten FreeMethod Assemble, Grill
Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 7 minutes minutesTotal Time 27 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 629kcal
Author Amy Dong
IngredientsFor the Dressing:⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil¼ cup onion minced2 cloves fresh garlic minced¼ cup balsamic vinegar1 TB Dijon mustard1 TB pure honey¼ tsp kosher salt¼ tsp freshly ground black pepperFor the Salad:2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins recommendedkosher salt and freshly ground black pepper8 cups kale leaves or mixed greens1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved1 cup mini mozzarella balls halved1 cup sweet corn kernels2 avocados diced and sprinkled with lime juice1 bunch fresh basil leaves shreddedOther: Oil for grilling
InstructionsFor the DressingIn a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to use.For the ChickenUsing paper towels, dry chicken breasts to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with a light layer of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, pressing to adhere the spices. Grease outdoor grill or indoor grill pan; heat grill until oil is hot. Grill chicken just until both sides are evenly grill-marked and center is no longer pink; don't overcook. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.For the SaladCombine the kale, tomatoes, mozzarella, corn, avocado, and basil leaves in a large salad bowl. Slice grilled chicken and add to the salad. Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad; toss gently, adding more dressing as needed. Add more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Serve.
Video
Notes
If using kale as the salad base, this salad keeps well for several hours; it’s fantastic as a make-ahead salad.
Make it meatless by omitting the chicken; it’s still delicious.
The chicken can be cooked on the grill or on a grill pan. Cooking instructions are the same either way.
Serve a big bowl of this Roasted Tomato Basil Soup and a slice of this Rosemary Garlic Bread next to Chicken Caprese Salad for a super satisfying lunch or dinner.
Make sure not to skip the lime juice step for the avocados. The lime juice helps to prevent the avocados from browning as quickly once they’ve been sliced.
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NutritionCalories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 1.663mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4.72IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 3mg
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