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Chicken Caprese Salad is the perfect way to turn a classic Caprese into a satisfying meal. Juicy balsamic chicken pairs with fresh mozzarella, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, and fragrant basil, all tossed together in a vibrant salad that feels as good as it tastes. A tangy balsamic dressing doubles as the chicken marinade, making this caprese chicken salad recipe quick, easy, and incredibly flavorful.
This Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad is a family favorite that never fails to impress. Whether you serve it for a light dinner, a hearty lunch, or even meal prep, it’s the kind of dish that proves simple ingredients can create something truly special.
What Makes This Chicken Caprese Salad So Good
This Chicken Caprese Salad takes the classic flavors of Caprese and transforms them into a complete, protein-packed meal. Juicy chicken seared in a balsamic marinade pairs beautifully with creamy mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and fragrant basil, creating a fresh and satisfying caprese chicken salad recipe you’ll want to make on repeat.
Adding avocado takes this dish to the next level, giving it richness and creaminess that balances the tangy balsamic dressing. The result is a Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad that feels light yet hearty, perfect for weeknight dinners, lunch prep, or even a crowd-pleasing dish to share with family and friends.
What Goes Into Chicken Caprese Salad
This Chicken Caprese Salad comes together with a handful of fresh, simple ingredients that pack in big flavor.
- Chicken Thigh Fillets: Juicy, tender chicken forms the heart of this salad, soaking up the balsamic marinade for maximum flavor.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The star of the dressing and marinade, adding tangy depth and sweetness that balances the fresh ingredients. For best results, use a good-quality vinegar (my favorite is Fini Organic Balsamic Vinegar).
- Avocado: Creamy slices of avocado bring richness and a buttery texture, making this Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad extra satisfying.
- Mozzarella Balls: Soft and mild bocconcini or mozzarella pearls pair perfectly with juicy tomatoes and basil for that classic Caprese flavor.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Chicken Caprese Salad
- Make the Marinade: Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, dried basil, and salt until smooth. Set aside a portion of the marinade to use later as the salad dressing.
- Coat the Chicken: Place the chicken thigh fillets in a shallow dish and pour about 4 tablespoons of the marinade over them. Turn the chicken to coat evenly, then let it rest while you heat the pan.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on each side until golden and fully cooked through, then transfer to a plate and allow to rest.
- Assemble the Salad: Slice the chicken into strips and combine with lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Top with basil, drizzle with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Pair your Chicken Caprese Salad with a warm bowl of Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup for a cozy, satisfying combo. For something heartier, Pull-Apart Stuffed Bread with Chipotle Carne Asada adds a smoky, cheesy kick.
End the meal on a sweet note with a slice of Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake, the perfect creamy dessert to balance the freshness of the salad.
Tips To Making The Best Chicken Caprese Salad
- You only need to use 4 tablespoons of the balsamic marinade.
- You’re going to reserve the remaining dressing to use later in the refrigerator! No, we don’t use the OLD marinade as a dressing. We use the FRESH UNTOUCHED marinade.
- Then, you’re going to sear said chicken until crispy on the edges and golden. For this salad I used boneless, skinless thighs, BUT you can use breasts if you wish.
- You can use cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes, or use chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Fresh mozzarella balls are best in this. You can use any size if you can’t find mini.
- Romaine, butter, ice berg or spinach are all fine to use as the base.
Recipe FAQ’s
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal because they stay juicy, but chicken breasts also work if you prefer a leaner cut.
Absolutely! With protein, healthy fats, and fresh veggies, this salad is filling enough to stand alone as a complete meal.
It’s a great option for meal prep if you store the components separately. Combine everything just before eating to keep it fresh and vibrant.
WATCH THIS Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad BEING MADE RIGHT HERE!
Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
Ingredients
Marinade/Dressing:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Salad:
- 4 skinless chicken thigh fillets no bone
- 5 cups Romaine lettuce or cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella balls or boccbocconcini
- 1/4 cup basil leaves thinly sliced
- 1 pinch salt to season
- 1 pinch pepper to season
Instructions
- Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Place chicken into a shallow dish; pour 4 tablespoons of the dressing / marinade onto the chicken and stir around to evenly coat chicken. Reserve the untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
- Heat about one teaspoon of oil in a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and grill or sear chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.
- Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with lettuce, avocado slices, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and chicken. Top with basil strips; drizzle with the remaining dressing; season with salt and pepper; serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this with my family the other night it was delicious. It was a little sweet, super flavorful. We cook the chicken on a flat top on the stove and it was so moist and juicy. We did marinate it for about an hour and a half before cooking it.. We also added red onions. It was really really good. Would definitely make it again.
So yummy- there is no mozzarella in the ingredients list though 🙂
Hi EC, thanks for the feedback, I have changed the ingredients list to have mozzarella balls or bocconcini listed. Enjoy cooking Xx
so good!!! not hard to make and tastes so delicious!!
I’ve made SO many salads from this website and every single one gets eaten so fast. Everybody loves them, thank you!!
Absolutely delicious! I actually made up double the recipe and poured part into the pan with the chicken while it cooked. So juicy and tender! I used spinach instead of Romaine because I had it, and it paired very well with everything. I added some diced red onions as a topping, too. It’s been so hot recently that we haven’t wanted anything heavy, but we’ve been getting tired of our regular salads. This was a lovely change of pace from our usual caprese salad and didn’t require much cooking at all (and, bonus, we got to use the cherry tomatoes and basil from our garden!)
Thanks so much for sharing! You never lead me wrong on a recipe. 🙂
I hate when the picture of a recipe looks amazing and then you make it and it’s just “meh”. Well that is NOT the case here. This was soooo good. I clicked the link and made the chicken in the oven method. My husband is not a huge balsamic vinegar person…but I AM! This was the bomb. I love a beautiful presentation followed by amazing flavor and this salad is jut that. Yay. Just Yay.