This Chicken Caprese Pasta is made with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese, then piled on top of a bed of spaghetti for a super simple weeknight meal.
I love this recipes because it’s simple to make and it uses ingredients I always have in the kitchen, so whenever I’m not sure what to make, this is my go-to recipe.
There are dozens of recipes for Caprese Chicken on the internet. You probably already know that if this isn’t the first recipe you came upon. They all have similar ingredients, but they’re all very different.
Some use fresh tomatoes, some use tomato sauce, some use balsamic vinegar, some omit the basil. I’ve tried many different versions and pulled all the things I liked about those to create this recipe – my version of Chicken Caprese pasta.
I use baked chicken, both fresh and canned tomatoes, basil and shredded mozzarella over spaghetti noodles.
» Looking for more caprese-style dishes? Try our Caprese Ravioli or get creative with these Strawberry Caprese Skewers.
What is Chicken Caprese?
Chicken Caprese is made with baked or grilled chicken, fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella, a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
You can use either chicken breast or thigh for this recipe. I’ve tried both. Chicken breast is obviously the healthier option. Lots of people think breast is too dry and boring.
If you’re one of those folks, you’ll want to use thighs for this recipe. I think if you cook the chicken properly, it can be amazing no matter which you use.
How to Bake Chicken Caprese
I like to make two full chicken breasts, cut open, but you can make a smaller portion by cutting just one large chicken breast in half. Start by cutting the chicken breast in half lengthwise.
If you have a small piece of chicken that’s too thin to cut in half, you can use the whole breast instead. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Fry on the stove top in a pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side.
When the chicken is done, put it into a baking dish. You’ll need a baking dish that can hold either two or four chicken pieces, like this 8×8 baking dish or 9×5 loaf dish. Top with chopped tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella cheese.
Put the pan in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti and get the tomato sauce ready. It’s incredibly simple. Pile it all up on a plate and you’re done.
What Type of Pasta to Use
You can use whatever type of pasta you like the best. I personally like spaghetti, but fettuccine or even bowtie pasta is good.
Check out this amazing electric pasta maker from Hamilton Beach. Fresh, homemade pasta is now as simple as adding ingredients and pushing a button. In 15 minutes or less, you can have pasta that’s ready to boil. The pasta machine mixes, kneads and extrudes the pasta for you.
This electric pasta maker has 7 different pasta shapes: thick spaghetti, lasagna, spaghetti, angel hair, wide noodle, penne and fettuccine. It’s pretty brilliant.
If you’d rather make this a low-carb dish, you can leave the pasta out of the dish all together.
We love this Chicken Caprese recipe. It’s not too heavy, but very satisfying as a main dish. The chicken comes out so juicy and flavorful. Give it a try and see what you think. If you make this recipe, please share your results in the comments.
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Chicken Caprese Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 oz spaghetti cooked according to package instructions
- 1 large chicken breast halved lengthwise
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning divided
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 12 oz can Italian chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 5 leaves fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions.
- Season chicken with 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add to a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- Add the canned tomatoes to an oven safe skillet or dish. Season with the remaining Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces on top of the tomatoes. Top the chicken with mozzarella, basil and fresh chopped tomatoes. Cover with a lid or tin foil and put in the oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes to melt.
- Divide the spaghetti noodles onto two plates. Top with the tomato sauce and a piece of chicken. Serve.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook who loves making new recipes and finding new favorite things to eat, whether at home or abroad. She also runs a popular travel blog and spends a lot of her time traveling for food.