With roasted balsamic cherry tomatoes, melty mozzarella, crispy chicken, and a tangy arugula salad: this Slow Roasted Caprese Chicken Milanese is the easiest delicious meal!
Jump to RecipeThis is one of my favorite “It’s almost dinner time and I have no idea what to make” kinda meals. I mean… crispy chicken is always a winner, and who doesn’t love caprese? Better yet, slow roast that caprese in the oven with that crispy chicken and you have yourself a dinner that will truly impress the whole fam. This Slow Roasted Caprese Chicken Milanese is EVERYTHING!!
The breakdown…
This dish could not be easier. It starts off with a simple seared chicken. I very lightly bread my chicken here just to get some crisp… kind of like a “half fry.” I’m not big on deep frying, but I love a good crisp on my chicken. You can easily get this from a little oil and a hot skillet. I personally think my cast iron really helps with achieving a perfect crust, just because it gets so hot. Plus, that crust has the most delicious flavors with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I also think panko has great flavor!
If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use dried oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage… or any combo of those spices that you have! You could also use Italian seasoned flavored panko or breadcrumbs. This recipe calls for panko, not breadcrumbs, because it’s much crunchier. But, go with what you love!
The chicken is only crisped up for about a minute on each side, but this step is crucial for a nice crisp. You then finish the chicken with the cherry tomatoes in the oven. Tossing the tomatoes with balsamic and olive oil allows them to get perfectly roasted, all while helping the chicken stay super juicy. Then, when you throw in some fresh mozzarella, you get the perfect melty cheese pull that really pulls everything together. It’s amazing.
that salad…
Last but not least, you can’t have a chicken milanese without a simple lemon dressed arugula. This arugula salad is really just some simple lemon dressed greens, but it’s thrown together with some sliced basil… which really amps up the caprese flavor. And, in all honesty, fresh basil is never a bad idea. You could even add a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if you want. I don’t include it in this recipe because I love a simple lemon dressed arugula salad, but go with what you love!
And that’s it… it’s honestly super simple. Like I said, it can be thrown together so fast, and will honestly please the whole family. You could serve this dish up as is, or, for a well-rounded meal, here would be my side suggestions:
What to serve on the side…
- The Best Brussels Sprouts You Will Ever Eat
- Creamy Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
- Creamy Braised White Beans With Fresh Herbs
- Sauteed squash and zucchini
- Smashed or roasted baby potatoes
- Pasta, rice, farro, or any other grain of choice
However you serve this up, I hope you enjoy this Slow Roasted Caprese Chicken Milanese! Let me know in the comments below!
Slow Roasted Caprese Chicken Milanese
Course: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy15
minutes20
minutes35
minutesWith roasted balsamic cherry tomatoes, melty mozzarella, crispy chicken, and a tangy arugula salad: this Slow Roasted Caprese Chicken Milanese is the easiest delicious meal!
Ingredients
- chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise or beaten about 1/2 inch thin
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
3/4 cup flour (or almond flour)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp Italian seasoning*
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
- assembly:
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Italian seasoning*
1/2 – 1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced
- salad:
About 3 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Whisk the beaten egg and milk together in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the flour, panko, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the liquid mixture, then into the dry.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, toss the halved cherry tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and remaining Italian seasoning. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, sear the chicken for one minute on each side. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how large your skillet is. Tuck the chicken in with the tomatoes in the baking dish.Transfer to the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. Top with the diced mozzarella and bake for another 6-8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the arugula with the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve the chicken with the roasted caprese all topped with some of the salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use dried oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage… or any combo of those spices that you have!