Stuffing.  Potatoes.  Bread.  Pie.  Second helpings.  Extra snacks.  And more dessert.  Ugh.  Are your jeans as pissed off at you as they are at me?

This week, among the efforts to use up and get creative with leftovers (which are awesome, don’t get me wrong!), I reached a point that I needed something healthy.  Something fresh-tasting.  Something that wasn’t going to make me want to collapse at 7:30pm from that I-can’t-believe-I-ate-the-whole-thing feeling.  Thank goodness that I had the items on hand for this simple, flavorful and HEALTHIER version of poultry and fixins than what I’ve been staring at for a week.

Caprese Chicken Thighs to the rescue!

Caprese Chicken Thighs

Fresh tomatoes (OK, maybe not summer fresh, but fresher than another piece of pie), chicken thighs (healthier for you than you might think!), basil, whole wheat pasta–yeah, much better.

And some burrata.  Yeah, it’s cheese.  And it’s rich cheese.  But I couldn’t go cold turkey completely (go ahead–groan at the bad joke).  I mean, it had me headed in a better direction than serving up another bowl of stuffing.

My jeans are speaking to me again.  It’s a start.

 

Caprese Chicken Thighs Ingredients
Caprese Chicken Thighs
Print Recipe
I will never get tired of the simple and explosively delicious nature of the beautiful flavors of tomatoes, cheese, basil and olive oil. No matter how you serve it to me, I'm in. I feel healthy looking at it, and content eating it. And when it's paired with a perfectly roasted piece of juicy chicken, it's pretty darned incredible. Simple, quick, healthy, and a great break from heavier dinners. And you won't walk away hungry; you'll be satisfied, and oh-so-happy for this perfect flavor combination.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Caprese Chicken Thighs Ingredients
Caprese Chicken Thighs
Print Recipe
I will never get tired of the simple and explosively delicious nature of the beautiful flavors of tomatoes, cheese, basil and olive oil. No matter how you serve it to me, I'm in. I feel healthy looking at it, and content eating it. And when it's paired with a perfectly roasted piece of juicy chicken, it's pretty darned incredible. Simple, quick, healthy, and a great break from heavier dinners. And you won't walk away hungry; you'll be satisfied, and oh-so-happy for this perfect flavor combination.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and pat dry chicken thighs. If you like, you can remove the skin and discard it. I keep it to give the meat a bit more flavor, and to provide a chance for a crispier chicken when roasted.
    Caprese Chicken Thighs Ingredients
  2. Salt & pepper the chicken on both sides.
    Chicken Thighs
  3. Slice the tomatoes and burrata into equal sized pieces (about 1/4 - 1/2" each). Remove leaves from basil sprig; rinse and pat dry.
    Tomatoes & Burrata
  4. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove chicken and top each piece with a slice of tomato and roast for an additional 10 minutes, or or until the chicken skin begins to brown, and the tomato begins to pucker on the sides.
    Caprese Chicken Thighs
  5. In the meantime, prepare whole wheat pasta according to package directions; drain thoroughly, and drizzle with olive oil to keep from sticking. Serve with chicken than has been topped with slice of burrata and a basil leaf.
    Caprese Chicken Thighs
Recipe Notes

Burrata is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and fresh cream.  Have you tried it yet  No?  Well, get thee to your grocery store and see if they carry it.  If not, a local cheese shop or other specialty grocery will likely have it.  Yeah, it's not exactly the healthy part of this recipe, but when used in moderation the burrata adds a silky and rich component to all of the fresh ingredients happening on the plate.

You will likely have cheese left over when making this dish.  It should keep for couple days, and can be used as a spread for toast or sandwiches (it spreads beautifully), or can be tossed on top of other roasted veggies for a great contrast to other flavors and textures of so many green vegetables.

A perfect addition to a fresh dish like these Caprese Chicken Thighs any night of the week!

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