Since Caprese salad is always a hit, why not turn it into a main course?! This one pot dish is both simple to assemble and a mouth full of flavor. We were inspired by a recipe from Karina at Cafe Delites. The biggest notable difference between the two is our omission of added sugar. When using real balsamic vinegar we see no need to ‘sweeten’ the recipe with sugar. We have chosen Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar but this dish would be delicious with Strawberry Balsamic or even Traditional.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Olive This! Single Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ⅓ cup Olive This! Raspberry Dark Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, divided
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into six ½-inch slices
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
We’ve used bone-in, skin on chicken thighs but boneless, skinless or any variation would be just as successful. You could also use Basil Olive Oil instead of the Single Varietal oil to emphasize the basil flavors.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Season each chicken thigh with the oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof pan such as a dutch-over or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Skin side down first, if not using skinless. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain most of the excess oil, leaving about a tablespoon of the oil.
Return the dutch-oven back to the stove; saute garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the balsamic vinegar; stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, while stirring occasionally, until the glaze has thickened (about 5-6 minutes).
Return the chicken to the pan, turning in the glaze to evenly coat. Add 1 ½ cups of the tomatoes, whole, around the chicken and place the chicken into the oven. Bake until the chicken is completely cooked through (about 30 minutes).
Top each chicken with a slice of mozzarella cheese; return back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Remove the chicken from the pan and turn up the heat to cook the sauce down a little bit, about 3 minutes. Slice the remaining ½ cup tomatoes in half; place them on top of the cheese; pour over some of the balsamic sauce from the pan and garnish with basil. Serve immediately.
Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below.