caprese chicken

Ingredients

1. 6 skinless , bone-in chicken thighs
2. 1 teaspoon dried oregano*
3. 1 teaspoon dried basil*
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. cracked black pepper , to taste
6. 1 tablespoon olive oil (or a light spray of cooking oil spray)
7. 2 tablespoons minced garlic
8. 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
9. 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar , packed
10. 1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes , divided
11. 8 0z (250 g) fresh mozzarella cheese (or Bocconcini), cut into 6x 1/2-inch slices**
12. 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves , chiffonade
13. Balsamic Glaze: (Optional To Serve)
14. 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
15. 2 tablespoons brown sugar , packed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 210°C | 410°F.
2. Season each chicken thigh with the oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil (or cooking spray) in a large oven-proof pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain most of the excess oil, leaving about a teaspoon worth.
4. Return the skillet back to the stove; fry garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the vinegar and brown sugar; stirring to combine while heating through. Bring to a simmer, while stirring occasionally, until glaze has thickened (about 5-6 minutes).
5. Return the chicken to the pan, turning in the glaze to evenly coat. Add 1 cup 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 a further 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
6. Slice the remaining 1/2 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.

Optional:

1. If wanting to serve with extra balsamic glaze (as pictured above), make your glaze while the chicken is in the oven. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, allowing to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the glaze is thickened and reduced by half (about 5-6 minutes). Drizzle over the chicken when ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

1. *You can substitute oregano and basil for Italian seasoning or pizza topper if that is what you have on hand.
2. **For my Australian followers, I find fresh Bocconcini in the deli section in Woolworths. I used 2 large balls, both 125 g each. You can use the smaller ones if that's all you can find.

Full Recipes : cafedelites.com

Share this post