During the summer, I love to cook with veggies from my garden – especially my juicy cherry tomatoes and fragrant basil. This Caprese Chicken Salad recipe adds chicken and Mozzarella balls to my produce to make the perfect Summer meal. This warm, high-protein salad doesn’t take long to prep and cooks quickly. Grilled chicken certainly works for this salad, but if it’s too darn hot, try my Air-Fryer method. The chicken turns out extra juicy and tender every time!
Here’s the secret – simply brine your chicken before cooking, and it will keep your chicken nice and juicy. It’s easy! Fill a large bowl with warm water and stir in salt. Add the chicken, submerge, and brine for 30 minutes at room temperature or several hours in the refrigerator. You will thank yourself later!
When you are ready to prepare your salad, you can cook your chicken in the air fryer in about 15 minutes. Slice your juicy chicken and add it to your summer salad, and dinner is served! Enjoy!
Caprese Chicken Salad
Course: SaladsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes15
minutesGarden fresh basil and tomatoes make Caprese Chicken Salad the perfect Summer meal!
Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 portions)
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- Salad
5 cups Romaine lettuce (chopped)
1 cup Cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/2 cup Fresh mozzarella balls
1/4 cup Fresh basil (cut into ribbons)
- Salad Dressing
Drizzle with Balsamic glaze and Extra Virgin Olive oil to taste
Directions
- Fill a large bowl with about 4 cups of warm water and stir in ¼ cup salt and stir until salt has completely dissolved. Add the chicken, submerge, and brine for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Rinse off the brine and pat the chicken dry with paper towels before cooking.
- Once you’re ready to cook the chicken, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper to create the marinade. Add the marinade and the chicken breasts to a zip-top bag and massage to evenly distribute the marinade. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
- Cook the chicken breasts. If using your air fryer, place the chicken in a single layer in the basket. Air fry until golden. See my cooking time chart below to estimate cooking time, or use a meat thermometer and cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
- In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and top with sliced chicken. Sprinkle the salad with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
- Balsamic Glaze can be found in the grocery store on the same aisle as vinegar.
- Air Frying Times by Chicken Breast Size
Small (5-7 ounces) 7-10 minutes
Medium (8-10 ounces) 10-12 minutes
Large (11-12 ounces) 12-16 minutes
