Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad
This Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad is a perfect recipe for summer feasting. The presentation is spectacular (don’t you agree) and the taste is soooo good! Besides, it’s quick and easy to make and that’s a huge bonus!!!
The chicken gets a wonderful boost of flavor from the marinade of fresh pesto, balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil. The dressing is a creamy blend of pesto, parmesan cheese, Greek yogurt and milk.
Grill up the chicken, slice some tomatoes in half, plate it all with some mozzarella balls and top it with the creamy dressing and you are in for a wonderful dinner! Hearty, filling and still healthy! Gotta love that!
I like to keep fresh pesto in the fridge and freezer always! It comes in so handy for a quick pasta meal, to spread on a pizza or to augment a marinade or salad dressing as used in this recipe. Check out my simple fresh pesto sauce recipe!
Begin my mixing up the chicken marinade. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, pesto, olive oil and honey together. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the chicken breasts in a resealable bag. Let the chicken marinade for at least one hour and up to 24 hours! This is great if you want to get started a day ahead.
When you are ready to grill the chicken, preheat a grill to medium-high heat and grill the chicken for 4-6 minutes per side. Let it sit for 5 minutes to seal in the juices and then slice the chicken.
The dressing is very simple: whisk all of the ingredients together! That’s it!
To assemble the salad, place the spinach leaves on a serving platter, arrange the chicken, mozzarella balls and tomatoes on top. Season it all with a little salt and pepper and fresh basil. Drizzle with the creamy dressing and serve more on the side.
This salad is a keeper!
Share Your Thoughts...
Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes plus fridge time 1 hour
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 & 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Salad:
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mini fresh mozzarella balls
- fresh basil (optional)
Pesto Dressing:
- 1/3 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup low fat milk
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then place them in a gallon size freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag pressing out all the air as you do. Massage the marinade into the chicken and then place it in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour or overnight.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat and spray or brush the grates with oil. Place the chicken on the grill and grill for approximately 4-6 minutes per side depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. Remove from the grill and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Whisk together until combined and taste for seasoning.
Place the spinach on a serving platter or bowl. Arrange the tomatoes, mozzarella balls and sliced chicken on top of the spinach. Top with a sprinkle of kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh basil. Drizzle the salad with the dressing or serve on the side.
Leave a Review