Well, I hope you guys saved some of your arugula walnut pesto from last week! If not, store-bought pesto will work great for this simple, delicious chicken recipe. Chicken is first marinated in balsamic vinegar and then topped with thick, melting slices of fresh mozzarella, pesto and a balsamic reduction drizzle.
It’s not as fancy as it seems! In fact, besides the hour marinating time, this dinner is ready in only about twenty minutes flat.
If the weather is too nasty outside, you can certainly use your grill pan and cook the chicken stovetop, which is what I did to mine. I love the tang and the beautiful caramelized color the chicken gets from this simple balsamic marinade, and when topped with cheese it’s almost like eating a Caprese salad, minus the tomatoes.
I think you’ll love this quick and easy weeknight recipe. We devoured it alongside Brussels sprouts and spicy black beans and rice. Enjoy!
Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mozzarella and Pesto
The sweet tang of balsamic vinegar is delicious as a marinade for this chicken recipe. Food blogger Jenna Weber of Eat, Live, Run shares this recipe in full post at the Fresh Tastes Blog.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 1 large ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into four thick slices
- Pesto (homemade or store-bought)
Directions
- Place chicken and one cup of balsamic vinegar in a large plastic bag. Seal bag tightly and place in fridge to marinate for one hour. (Don’t marinate this recipe overnight because over a long period of time, the acid in the vinegar may break down the chicken breast, forming a mushy texture.)
- Place the other cup of balsamic vinegar in a small pot on the stove and bring to simmer. Continue simmering for about 15 minutes, until vinegar has reduced and is thick like syrup. Take off stove and let cool while you cook the chicken breasts.
- After chicken breasts have finished marinating, preheat grill (or prepare grill pan on the stove). Grill chicken breasts until cooked through, about eight minutes per side. Remove chicken and place on a plate.
- Turn broiler on high and place one slice of mozzarella on each chicken breast. Place chicken breasts on a foil-covered sheet tray and broil for three-four minutes until cheese melts.
- Top each chicken breast with a dollop of pesto and drizzle balsamic reduction over top.
Yield: 4 servings
Jenna Weber is half of the Fresh Tastes blog team. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2008 and, since then, has worked as a pastry chef, bread baker and freelance food editor. Currently, Jenna blogs full-time on EatLiveRun.com where her delicious daily recipes and quirky culinary musings appeal to thousands. She lives in Northern California and, when not in the kitchen, can usually be found on her yoga mat.