This Caprese Chicken Salad is a perfect twist on a classic chicken salad recipe you are going to want all summer long.

a photo of caprese chicken salad on three crackers on a wooden cutting board

A Note from Teri on Caprese Chicken Salad

Summer is the moment for caprese, so why not create a fabulous caprese spin on chicken salad! Tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil are on repeat all summer long in every form. And this caprese chicken salad is pretty much my perfect definition of a girl dinner. It’s simple to make, high protein, and perfect on some crackers for a quick and easy dinner, lunch or snack.

As you may know, I’m a huge chicken salad enthusiast all year long. When I first started playing aroud with this recipe, I wasn’t sure how exactly it was going to come together. I prefer not to put fresh tomato in my chicken salad because it creates a texture that is not ideal for enjoying a tomato in my opinion. So once we thought to put the sun dried tomatoes in the sauce, I knew we had something amazing. Lily says it’s unlike any chicken salad she’s had before, and she cannot get enough of it!

This caprese chicken salad is fabulous on a cracker with some fresh tomatoes and balsamic on top, or you could even take it up a notch and serve it on bread! You could do it open faced on some gluten free toast, or make a fabulous sandwich on a baguette. There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy this chicken salad!

Ingredients and Variations

For the Sauce:

  • Mayonnaise
  • Chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (if you can’t find ones packed in oil, you can soften in hot water for 10 minutes or so)
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Cayenne

For the Chicken Salad:

  • Sizzling Everyday Roast Chicken Breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken  
  • Mozzarella pearls, drained (“pearls” are about a half-inch in size. If you can’t find them, cut small bocconcini into six pieces)
  • Diced onion
  • Finely diced celery
  • Basil, ribboned, divided
  • Minced chives
  • Dark balsamic vinegar or glaze, plus more
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Halved cherry tomatoes

How to Make Caprese Chicken Salad

Step One: Make the Dressing & Prep Chicken

Add the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne to a small food processor and process for one minute until it’s well blended. Add a tablespoon of water and blend until well incorporated. Store the sauce in a small bowl or jar and set aside.

 Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and use your hands to meticulously pull the meat off the bones, discarding the imperfections like soft tendons, cartilage, and red pieces. Measure out 3 cups of chicken and reserve the rest for a different recipe. Divide the chicken into two groups: perfect, moist pieces in one group and dry, not-so-perfect pieces in another. Coarsely chop the perfect, moist pieces and put them in a large bowl. Put the dry, not-so-perfect pieces in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds, then transfer to the bowl with the perfect pieces and mix. 

Step Two: Make the Chicken Salad

Add the mozzarella pearls, onion, celery, half the basil, chives, balsamic, salt, and pepper to the bowl with chicken mixture. Drizzle ¼ cup of the sauce and toss until everything is coated with the dressing. Taste and add more sauce if needed. 

When you are ready to serve, put the chicken salad on a cracker or toast and top with the cherry tomatoes, remaining basil, and a drizzle of the balsamic and a handful of crackers alongside. For a sandwich, we added arugula and marinated onions as well.

a photo of caprese chicken salad in a bowl with crackers next to it

Storage

Store your caprese chicken salad recipe in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Check Out These Other Caprese Recipes

If you make this Caprese Chicken Salad, be sure to review it below and let me know what you think! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
a photo of caprese chicken salad on three crackers on a wooden cutting board

Caprese Chicken Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Lunch
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This Caprese Chicken Salad is the perfect high protein lunch or snack!


Ingredients

For the sauce: 

  •   2/3 cup mayonnaise
  •   2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (if you can’t find ones packed in oil, you can soften in hot water for 10 minutes or so)
  •   2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
  •   ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  •   ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  •   ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  •   ¼ teaspoon cayenne 

For chicken salad: 

  •   2 large Sizzling Everyday Roast Chicken Breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken  
  •   1 cup mozzarella pearls, drained (“pearls” are about a half-inch in size. If you can’t find them, cut small bocconcini into six pieces)
  •   ¾ cup finely diced onion
  •   ¾ cup finely diced celery
  •   1/3 cup basil, ribboned, divided
  •   ¼ cup minced chives
  •   1 tablespoon dark balsamic vinegar or glaze, plus more
  •   ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  •   Pinch freshly ground black pepper
  •   1/3 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Make the sauce. Add the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne to a small food processor and process for one minute until it’s well blended. Add a tablespoon of water and blend until well incorporated. Store the sauce in a small bowl or jar and set aside. 
  2. Prep the chicken. Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and use your hands to meticulously pull the meat off the bones, discarding the imperfections like soft tendons, cartilage, and red pieces. Measure out 3 cups of chicken and reserve the rest for a different recipe. Divide the chicken into two groups: perfect, moist pieces in one group and dry, not-so-perfect pieces in another. Coarsely chop the perfect, moist pieces and put them in a large bowl. Put the dry, not-so-perfect pieces in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds, then transfer to the bowl with the perfect pieces and mix. 
  3. Make the chicken salad. Add the mozzarella pearls, onion, celery, half the basil, chives, balsamic, salt, and pepper to the bowl with chicken mixture. Drizzle ¼ cup of the sauce and toss until everything is coated with the dressing. Taste and add more sauce if needed. 
  4. When you are ready to serve, put the chicken salad on a cracker or toast and top with the cherry tomatoes, remaining basil, and a drizzle of the balsamic and a handful of crackers alongside. To serve it as a sandwich, we added arugula and marinated onions as well.
  5. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 328
  • Sugar: 2.2 g
  • Sodium: 570.3 mg
  • Fat: 23.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4.5 g
  • Protein: 24.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 66.2 mg