Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breast (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts stuffed with creamy mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and fresh basil, topped with tangy balsamic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ Filling

06 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
07 - 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
08 - 16 fresh basil leaves

→ Balsamic Glaze

09 - ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon honey

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
12 - Extra drizzle of olive oil (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and carefully cut a deep pocket lengthwise without cutting through completely.
03 - Season both sides and inside the pockets with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
04 - Fill each pocket with slices of mozzarella, tomato, and 4 basil leaves. Secure openings with toothpicks if necessary.
05 - Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the stuffed breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
06 - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened to a glaze.
08 - Remove chicken from oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then remove toothpicks.
09 - Drizzle balsamic glaze over chicken, garnish with basil leaves and optional olive oil drizzle, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese melts right into the chicken, creating pockets of creaminess that keep every bite juicy.
  • You get that elegant, restaurant-quality presentation without the restaurant-level stress or complexity.
  • Balsamic glaze adds a sweet-tangy finish that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—those golden-brown spots add real flavor and texture that a pale, unseared breast just can't match.
  • The balsamic glaze thickens as it cools, so it'll look runnier in the pan than it will on your plate; don't let that panic you into cooking it down too far.
  • Pat the tomato slices dry before stuffing them in, or their excess moisture will make the chicken steam instead of staying juicy.
03 -
  • Use an instant-read meat thermometer; it saves you from either undercooking or overdrying the chicken, and it takes all the guesswork and worry out of the equation.
  • Don't skip resting the chicken—those five minutes let the muscle fibers relax and reabsorb the juices, keeping every slice tender and moist instead of dry and stringy.

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