Brown Sugar Caprese Chicken
Chicken marinated in a balsamic brown sugar sauce, baked with tomatoes and topped with melted mozzarella and basil. This Brown Sugar Caprese Chicken is a quick weeknight meal that is full of flavor!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 323kcal
Ingredients
- 3-4 large chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
- ~1/4 cup fresh basil cut into silvers
- balsamic reduction to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally so that each piece of chicken is about 1/2 inch thick. Note: If you only have one large cast iron skillet, you will likely only be able to fit 6 chicken pieces (3 breasts). If you have another skillet or want to do two batches, this recipe will work for 8 chicken pieces (4 breasts)
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, dried oregano, and thyme. Evenly coat both sides of each piece of chicken.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear on each side for about 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet after it has been seared.
- Turn heat to low and melt butter. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Stir in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Once will combined, add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken so that both sides of chicken are coated.
- Spread tomatoes evenly around chicken. Cover skillet with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove from oven and cover each piece of chicken with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Turn oven to broil. Return skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and tomatoes have blistered, about 3 minutes. NOTE: Tomatoes will likely spread out juice as they pop. Place skillet on a large baking sheet or baking mat in oven. As you broil, keep oven minimally open to prevent getting sprayed with hot tomato.
- Remove skillet from oven. Serve chicken with juices from pan and tomatoes. Top with fresh basil and balsamic glaze.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 787mg | Potassium: 647mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 19.6mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 1.4mg