This easy grilled Caprese chicken is the ultimate summer grilled chicken recipe. It’s perfect for the Caprese lover, and bonus, it’s easy and healthy. It’s made with perfectly grilled, char-tender chicken breasts tenderized in a pesto chicken marinade, topped with fresh mozzarella and adorable cherry tomatoes seasoned to perfection.
This Caprese grilled chicken recipe is a classic and is perfect for grilling season! It takes only a few minutes to prepare this grilled chicken marinade and then only about 20 minutes to cook on the grill.
How to make pesto grilled chicken marinade.
This chicken marinade recipe is so easy to throw together. It only takes a few minutes, especially when you use a prepared pesto sauce.
Start by adding the pest sauce. (I like to use the store-bought pesto from Costco but you can find prepared pesto in any grocery store. Sometimes it’s by the specialty cheese. You can always find it by the refrigerated fresh pasta.)
Again, mix the pesto sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt. Just whisk these ingredients together in a bowl and then dump into a gallon-sized ziplock bag.
Add the chicken breasts to the ziplock bag too. If your chicken breast is thick, your chicken will turn out better if you tenderize it. Add the marinade to the ziplock bag and wa-lah, you’ve got your pesto chicken breast marinade.
How to tenderize chicken:
Put your chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a mason jar. Give the chicken breast a few good whacks on the thickest part of the breast.
No need to get it all the same thickness, just whack it a few times and even it out a little.
Here are some of our favorite grilled chicken recipes you’ll love:
- BBQ Grilled Chicken Salad Recipe
- Southwest Chicken Kabobs
- Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Recipe
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
- Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Rosemary Garlic Chicken Breast
- Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- Lemon Rosemary Chicken Kabobs
- 3 Citrus Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
This easy grilled Caprese chicken is the ultimate summer grilled chicken recipe. It's perfect for the Caprese lover, and bonus, it's easy and healthy. It's made with perfectly grilled, char-tender chicken breasts tenderized in a pesto chicken marinade, topped with fresh mozzarella and adorable cherry tomatoes seasoned to perfection.
- 36 ounces Chicken Breast 4-5 medium sized chicken breasts
- 1 pinch Pepper to taste
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
- 3 Tablespoons Pesto Prepared
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil Sliced Thinly
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 6 ounces Mozzerella Cheese
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In a glass dish or gallon-sized ziplock bag, add the Pesto, 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, Garlic Powder and salt. Add the chicken breasts. Zip the bag closed and roll the chicken around to cover completely with the pesto marinade. Let the chicken marinate for 2-24 hours.
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When you're ready to grill, preheat the grill to about 325 degrees. Coat the grill with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the chicken breasts on the grill and cook on both sides for 4-6 minutes or until it's golden brown and 160 degrees Fahrenheit inside the chicken breast. (165 degrees is when the chicken is at a safe temp to eat but you still need to melt the cheese) Use a digital thermometer to ensure your chicken is done completely and not over-cooked.
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When the internal temp of the chicken reaches 160 degrees, place a slice or two of fresh mozzarella on the chicken and close the lid of the grill. Let the cheese melt and the chicken continue to cook until it reaches 165 degrees.
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Take the chicken off the grill, cover with the tomato mixture and let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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To make the tomato basil mixture, cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Wash and pat dry the fresh basil, roll it up and slice thinly. Add the lemon juice and just a little garlic salt. Let this mixture sit until the chicken is ready. This can also be made a couple of hours ahead of time.
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When the chicken is done, spoon the tomato basil mixture on top of the grilled pesto chicken.
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We love this easy grilled Caprese chicken. It is the ultimate summer grilled chicken recipe. It’s perfect for the Caprese lover, and bonus, it’s easy and healthy. It’s made with perfectly grilled, char-tender chicken breasts tenderized in a pesto chicken marinade, topped with fresh mozzarella and adorable cherry tomatoes seasoned to perfection. Your family is going to love this classic summer recipe!
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