Easy Caprese Chicken With Pesto Noodles – A Favorite Weeknight Dinner

If you’re looking for a weeknight dinner recipe that is bursting with flavor, you are going to love this caprese chicken!

It starts with a simple tangy marinade, and is topped with all of your favorite fresh caprese ingredients.

A balsamic vinegar reduction and pile of warm pesto noodles makes this one of our family favorites.

I know you’re short on time, so I’ll save you any more commentary and hit you with the recipe directly below.

But as always, to make sure yours turns out just how you like it check out the recipe walk through below.

This is where you’ll get the dish on the details to make sure yours turn out to perfection. 

Lets get to it!

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Caprese Chicken With Pesto Noodles

Ingredients

• 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 16 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced
• 6 oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 4 medium Sliced Red Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Fresh Basil
• 1 1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 box Cavatappi Pasta, or Other
• 1 6-8 oz jar Pesto Sauce

Chicken Marinade

• 1/4 C Sugar
• 1 C Lemon Juice
• 1 Tb Garlic Salt
• 1 tsp Onion Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Dried Basil

Instructions

1. Whisk Marinade Ingredients in large bowl, and submerge chicken and let sit for anywhere between 30 minutes up to 8 hours. The more the better!

2. Grill chicken until cooked through and immediately transfer to oven safe baking sheet or serving dish. Sprinkle breasts with shredded parmesan cheese, and fresh mozzarella slices. Cover and let rest.

3. In a medium sauce pan simmer balsamic vinegar until the vinegar has slightly thickened, and reduce by almost half, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer to a small dish or bowl when the balsamic vinegar has a syrup like consistency and can easily coat the back of a spoon.

4. In a large stock pot bring water to a rolling boil and heavily salt water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Promptly toss in pesto sauce, and sprinkle the top with shredded parmesan.

5. Uncover your freshly grilled chicken and top with sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil (julienne cut), season with salt and pepper and drizzle with balsamic reduction just before serving

Caprese Chicken With Pesto Noodles – Recipe Walk Through

Every delicious grilled chicken recipe starts with a top notch marinade.

This tangy lemon basil chicken marinade is so good, and I find the best results are when the chicken can soak anywhere from 4-8 hours.

I have marinaded them as short as 30 minutes however, and as long as overnight.

This recipe is also at its best when you use chicken breasts that are no more than 1/2 inch thick.

Most value sized chicken breast packages I purchase from the store are SO thick, so I filet them in half.

If they are close to the desired 1/2′” thickness I may simply hand trim them and pound them down a bit.

This allows a quicker cooking time, juicier chicken, and also allows more flavor to infuse from the marinade.

Try to avoid using a really thick breasts that will dry out during grilling.

Grilling Caprese Chicken 

When you’re ready to prepare this delicious dinner, remove your chicken from the marinade and place onto a preheated grill.

I find a medium setting works well, and simply grill them until chicken is cooked through.

While this is happening, I usually prep and slice my fresh caprese toppings.

The pre-sliced fresh mozzarella really helps save some time here!

I also place the balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan on medium/low heat.

I will visit it occasionally and give it a whisk as it slowly simmers and thickens.

This pot will become quite fragrant! 

You will need to stir more frequently towards the end of the cooking time when the sauce has started to thicken to prevent burning. 

When the chicken is hot off the grill, I immediately top it with my cheeses.

I like how the heat from the chicken hot off the grill helps to soften the fresh mozzarella!

I usually serve this dinner with french bread that I toast in the oven.

Shortly after my bread is done toasting, I sometimes turn the oven off and let the chicken rest in the warm oven to softly melt the cheese.

While the chicken is resting I prepare my pasta noodles according to the package directions.

A heavily salted (2-3 Tbs) large pot of water is always best.

As soon as the noodles are al dente and drained, toss them in your favorite jarred pesto sauce and garnish with shredded parmesan.

Yum, I mean who can seriously resist these?

Any pasta you like would work well!

But for some reason for this dish I usually opt for cavattapi or trottle noodles.

Ok, back to the caprese chicken….

Just before serving, top your cheesy grilled chicken with freshly sliced tomatoes (season with salt and pepper).

Vine ripened garden tomatoes are always the best for this, and if I’m being completely honest, usually help inspire the dish!

Lastly, garnish chicken with fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

The balsamic vinegar sauce will thicken some as it cools. 

It adds an incredible intense flavor, that loses it’s sour acidity as it boils and transitions into a slightly sweet but tangy sauce.

It’s great for dipping bread as well! <3  

Lastly, plate these beauties next to a bed of warm pesto noodles and you have officially rocked your weeknight dinner!

Add a french baguette and a glass of wine, and this meal is easily entertaining worthy. 

Thanks for reading along!  

Easy Caprese Chicken Dinner With Pesto Noodles

Cheers my friends!

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<3 Ang