Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
I’m on a roll here with the caprese salad theme. I know you love the little Simple Caprese Snack Bowl and the classic Caprese Salad. But as summer winds down, my tomato plants just keep on giving, so I’m loading you up with even more great tomato recipe ideas. This particular recipe comes from my sister-in-law (she is an awesome hostess by the way) who served this for our Labor Day bash get together this year. It’s super easy to put together and has such fabulous flavors. It reminds me of my Grilled Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Glaze which is one of my go-to summer recipes.
I start by marinating the chicken in a portion of a tasty balsamic vinegar marinade. The remaining portion of the marinade serves as the dressing for the salad later on. It’s simply equal parts of balsamic vinegar and olive oil with added dried basil, minced garlic, a little brown sugar, salt and pepper. That’s it; super easy, but oh so yummy when poured over the salad at the end.
Back to the chicken. After marinating for 15 to 30 minutes, I cook the chicken (tastes even better when grilled), then let it rest before slicing it into thin pieces. Then the construction begins. I start with a base of romaine lettuce, top with fresh cherry tomato halves, mini mozzarella cheese ball halves, quartered artichoke hearts, sliced avocado and the chicken slices. Sliced fresh basil leaves are scattered across the top followed by a drizzle of the remaining marinade (now dressing) and a dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
It’s as beautiful as it is delicious and the best part is that it can serve a crowd for your next pigskin potluck party or a backyard gathering. It is an easy summer meal, but don’t hold back if on any given day or in any given season you have the urge to make this fabulous dish; I say go for it. Enjoy life and good living.
recipe adapted from: Cafe Delites
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- Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and cut up into bite-size pieces
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mini mozzarella cheese balls, halved
- 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to season
- For the marinade/dressing: Whisk marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Place chicken into a zip-lock plastic bag; pour 4 tablespoons of the marinade/dressing onto the chicken, reserving the remaining marinade/dressing for later. Seal the bag and evenly coat chicken in the marinade/dressing. Let marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from plastic bag and discard marinade. Add chicken to the skillet and cook about 7 minutes per side until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice chicken into strips. Prepare salad by arranging lettuce on a serving platter. Top with avocado slices, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts and sliced chicken. Top with basil strips; drizzle the remaining dressing and season with salt and pepper.
You might also enjoy:
Grilled Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Glaze
Grilled Chicken and Tomato Avocado Salad
