Chicken Caprese Crostini Bites Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and use your fingers to evenly spread it out and coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet and shake it back and forth so they become evenly coated in the oil and seasoning. Arrange the chicken in the center of the baking sheet, pushing the tomatoes out to the perimeter, and drizzle the chicken with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
• Bake until the tomatoes are soft, blistered and begin to burst, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half and is thick enough to coat back of the spoon, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drape a slice of mozzarella over each chicken breast. Bake until the cheese melts and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast has reached 160 degrees F, 5 to 7 minutes (the chicken will carryover cook to 165 F).
• Sprinkle the chicken and tomatoes with the basil and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Spoon the collected pan juices over the tomatoes and chicken. Serve on a bed of arugula and with crusty bread to mop up the pan juices.

Steps:

• 1. Marinate chicken breast overnight or for a few hours in 1/2 cup of olive oil & 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar. Cut into slices.
• 2. Cut baquette into slices (not too thin) and grill for a few minutes to get toasty. (Brush w/ some garlic butter or w/ Italian dressing or balsamic & oil for extra flavor!) Top w/ slices of mozzarella, chicken, & grill until cheese is melted.
• 3. Remove & top w/ tomato slices (I used roasted red pepper in place of tomato for my tomato-hating daughter) and a fresh basil leaf on each crostini slice. Sprinkle with some more vinegar & oil & some parmesan. You can add garlic to this, as you desire.

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry. Cut a lengthwise pocket into the thick side of each breast without cutting all the way through to the other side. Season breasts inside and out using 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Stuff each breast with a quarter of the mozzarella, 2 to 3 tomato slices (depending on size) and 4 to 5 basil leaves. Enclose the filling as much as possible by pulling the chicken over the filling. (The chicken can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours.)
• Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch nonstick pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out garlic and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the oil in the pan.
• Increase heat to medium-high and sauté chicken until golden on the bottom, about 6 minutes. If the breasts darken too quickly, lower heat. Flip and cook for 5 minutes, then cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through and filling is hot.
• Using a spatula, carefully transfer chicken to a platter or four plates. Pour pan juices over the chicken. Garnish with pesto, reserved garlic and remaining basil leaves.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir garlic into hot oil and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add spinach and toss with hot oil and garlic; cover and remove from heat. Set spinach mixture aside to wilt spinach.
• Heat 3 more tablespoons olive oil in an oven-safe skillet. Cook chicken breasts in hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Season with salt. Layer 1/4 of the wilted spinach, tomato slices, and mozzarella slices on top of each breast. Season with ground black pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
• Bake in preheated oven until cheese has browned and chicken is no longer pink inside, about 15 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).