Chicken Caprese Kebabs

What is chicken caprese

Chicken Caprese is a flavorful dish made with breaded boneless skinless chicken breasts topped with fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and fresh basil. 

It’s then baked in an oven until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is melty and bubbly. The flavor combination is unique and delicious. 

This kebab version of chicken Caprese is easy to cook on a busy weeknight because it involves very little prep but clean up and dishes is minimal.  You don’t even need forks! It’s a lighter version of the classic dish and one you’ll love making for your family. 

Variations

Here are some variations you can use to make these Caprese chicken skewers. 

• Drizzle basil pesto instead of balsamic vinegar on top after they’re done cooking.  
• Make a balsamic reduction by combining balsamic vinegar and sugar-free sweetener in a saucepan and let it simmer over medium heat until it’s slightly reduced.
• Add veggies. Slide in some bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms for additional veggies.
• Play with cheeses. Use a different type of mini cheese balls like smoked gouda or cheddar.  
• Season or marinate the chicken cubes before threading them on the skewers to add extra flavor. You can add onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes for this.    

Skewers

You can use a couple of types of skewers with your Caprese kebabs.

Metal: Buying a set of metal skewers means you get to keep them and use them every time you make any type of kebabs. This also means you must clean them after each use instead of using wooden skewers.

Wood: Wooden skewers are great if you don’t want to have less to clean up after eating dinner. They must also be soaked in water for 20 minutes before threading the chicken and tomatoes. This helps to keep the wood from burning while on the grill.

Other meat to use

Chicken breasts work well with the combination of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese; however, you can easily swap out other meats in place of chicken breasts. 

Make your choice based on what you already have in the fridge or freezer, the sides you want to serve, or the freshest selection at the grocery store. 

Some options include steak, pork chops, fish, or shrimp.

How to tell when the chicken is done

The key to cooking juicy chicken Caprese bites is to ensure it’s pulled from the heat as soon as it reaches the appropriate internal temperature. 

You don’t want to undercook chicken because it could contain salmonella; however, you also don’t want to overcook it because it will dry out. 

Use a digital thermometer to check the temperature while it cooks and remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches 165°F. Taking the temperature will ensure that it’s cooked through and still juicy on the inside.

How to serve

This Caprese recipe can easily stand on its own as an easy meal, or you can add side dishes to fill it out. Some options include avocado cucumber salad, keto antipasto salad, easy flaky keto biscuits, or easy keto cornbread. 

Storage information & meal prep instructions

To refrigerate: Store leftover chicken, tomatoes, and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can eat them cold or heat them in the microwave or air fryer until heated through.

To meal prep: This is the perfect make-ahead dish. You can cube the chicken, thread the pieces with the tomatoes on a skewer, and prepare the cheese. Keep them in the fridge for up to three days until you’re ready to grill them. This would be a great time to marinate them if you want to add some extra flavor.