Categorized:
- Appetizers & Salads
- Main Dish
- Pasta & Italian
- Poultry
Tagged:
- balsamic vinegar
- basil
- chicken
- garlic
- honey
- lemon juice
- lettuce
- mozzarella
- mustard
- olive oil
- tomatoes
Caprese Chopped Salad {with Chicken and Avocado}
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup slightly packed chopped fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 2 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- For the chicken: In a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, basil, garlic, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp of each). Using the back of a spoon, press basil against sides and bottom of bowl (to help extract flavor from basil).
- Place chicken in a resealable bag and pound thicker parts of chicken to even thickness with a meat mallet, then pour basil mixture over chicken and evenly distribute basil over chicken.
- Seal bag while pressing excess air out, rub marinade over chicken and transfer to refrigerator and marinate 2 - 6 hours.
- Preheat a grill to 425 - 450 degrees over medium high heat*. Brush grill grates lightly with olive oil then place chicken on grill.
- Grill until cooked through, rotating once halfway through cooking, about 4 - 5 minutes per side (chicken should register 165 degrees in center of chicken on an instant read thermometer).
- Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes then dice into cubes.
- For the dressing: Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar (or cover and seal jar and shake) until well combined.
- For the salad: While chicken is cooling, add lettuce to a large salad bowl. Top with mozzarella, tomatoes, avocados and basil. Add chicken.
- Toss lightly then drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over salad, or plate and drizzle desired amount of dressing over each serving. Serve immediately.
Notes
- *Alternately you can also make this in a panini press, simply preheat to high heat for 5 minutes then spray with cooking spray, add chicken, close - don’t smash chicken just rest top over chicken. Cook about 5 minutes or until 165 degrees in center. A grill pan set over stove top would also work.
- Recipe inspired by Joyful Healthy Eats , chicken adapted from my other salad
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