Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
Simple and incredibly flavourful Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze. Makes an easy and healthy meal!
Take your salad game to the next level with this Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad. It has juicy baked chicken, fresh sliced mozzarella, creamy avocado, sliced basil leaves, and bright grape tomatoes finished off with olive oil and homemade balsamic glaze. I also added hemp seeds for an little nutrition boost. 🙂
Keep reading to find out what ingredients you’ll need and my tips for making this the best chicken caprese salad, ever.
Ingredients for Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad:
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 2 medium chicken breasts – we’ll bake then slice these to go on top of the salad
- garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper – to season the chicken
- olive oil – for both the chicken and drizzling on our salad
- balsamic vinegar – for the balsamic glaze
- brown sugar – for the balsamic glaze
- arugula or romaine lettuce – this will be the base of the salad
- fresh mozzarella balls – fresh mozzarella is a must for caprese salad
- grape tomatoes – these will be sliced on top of the salad
- 1 medium avocado – best if it’s ripe, but not too ripe. 🙂
- fresh basil leaves – fresh basil adds so much flavour, don’t leave this out!
- hemp seeds – to sprinkle on top of the salad
How to Make the best Caprese Chicken Salad Ever:
Step 1: Bake the Chicken
We’re baking the chicken at high heat (450F) for 15-18 minutes. This is my favourite way to do it because it gets a little crisp on the outside but stays nice and juicy on the inside.
Before baking, brush the chicken on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Then bake at 450F for 15-18 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you’ll have to cut into the chicken to make sure it’s done.
Once the chicken is cooked, we’ll slice it into strips to serve on top of our salad.
Step 2: Prep the Salad Ingredients:
While the chicken cooks, prep all of the salad ingredients by washing/chopping your greens (if using romaine lettuce), slicing the tomatoes, avocado, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. I highly recommend using fresh mozzarella balls in this recipe if you can.
Next up, we’ll also prep the simple balsamic glaze for drizzling on top of the salad.
Step 3: Make the Balsamic Glaze
Making a balsamic glaze is actually really simple. Just combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar together in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
If the glaze is done before the chicken is finished cooking, set it aside, allowing it to cool a little bit.
Step 4: Assemble Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
Once all of our ingredients are ready, we can assemble the delicious salads. Start with the arugula or romaine base, then top with the prepared veggies, mozzarella, and sliced chicken. Drizzle it all with olive oil and the prepared balsamic glaze, then sprinkle with sliced fresh basil, hemp seeds (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Now you’re ready to enjoy your ultra-flavourful Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad.
Tips for Making this Recipe:
Storage Tips:
This salad will keep best if you store the chicken, prepared vegetables and mozzarella, and olive oil/balsamic glaze separately. Then, assemble the salads immediately before eating for best results!
Substitution Suggestions:
- Use cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes.
- Instead of arugula, use romaine lettuce or spring mix.
- For a vegetarian option, use chickpeas instead of baked chicken.
- To round out this meal with carbohydrates, add some homemade croutons or serve with roasted potatoes.
You May Also Like:
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy some of my favourite salad recipes below!
- Healthy Caesar Salad with Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
- Citrus & Arugula Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad with Healthy Italian Dressing
- Autumn Kale Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Pesto Pasta Salad with White Beans
- Traditional Caprese Salad Recipe
Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, each
For the Balsamic Glaze:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
For the Salad:
- 4 cups arugula, or chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved or quartered
- 10-12 basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds, (learn hemp seeds' nutrition benefits)
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin if possible
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 450F. Brush chicken breasts on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with spices. When oven is ready, bake chicken breasts on a baking sheet/pan for 15-18 minutes, until internal temperature is 165F or when cut into, chicken is completely cooked. Slice into strips to serve on top of the salad,
For the Balsamic Glaze:
- Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a small saucepan on the stove and whisk to combine. Over medium-high heat, bring to a low boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently for approx. 8-10 minutes until thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
For the Salad:
- Divide arugula (or romaine) to plates/bowls and top each with tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella and fresh basil. Top with sliced chicken, then drizzle everything with olive oil and the balsamic glaze. Finish off with a sprinkle of hemp seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and see notes for storage tips.
Notes
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