Air Fryer Caprese Chicken with Pesto, Tomato and Cheese
This Air Fryer Caprese Chicken recipe is chicken breast sliced in the Hasselback style and stuffed with Pesto, fresh tomato, and cheese. Each bite has a burst of savory flavor that'll have you forgetting all about boring old chicken dinners. Made in the air fryer in under 15 minutes, I love how it turns tender juicy inside with a beautifully caramelized exterior.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1-inch thick
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes About 10 slices of fresh tomato, sliced in half
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella 5 slices of mozzarella cheese, cut in half, for a total of 10 slices
- ½ teaspoon salt salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken Breast: You'll need boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Approximately 1 inch thick. To make a pocket in the chicken, use a sharp knife and carefully cut through the thickest part of the chicken breast. Make about 5 slits in each piece of chicken. Do not cut all the way through.
- Season. In a small bowl combine oil, Pesto, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and garlic powder. Using your hands or food-basting brush, rub the seasoning mix all over the chicken, including the inside of the slits.Add the Tomato and Cheese: Cut fresh tomatoes into thin slices (approx 3 mm thick) and cheese sliced into ¼ inch slices. Fill the chicken pockets with tomato slices, and cheese: place a piece of cheese into each slit, followed by a piece of tomato (cut in half to fit, if needed)
- Cook: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken in the basket and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. You don’t need to flip halfway through. If you have a meat thermometer, use it to check the chicken's internal temperature. Once it reaches 165°F, it's ready to be taken out of the air fryer.Using a large spatula, remove each stuffed chicken breast from the air fryer and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot by itself or with your favorite side dish and enjoy!
Notes
Make sure to preheat the air fryer before adding the chicken to ensure even cooking.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken breast. It should reach 165°F before you take it out of the air fryer.
You can use any type of cheese that you like instead of mozzarella to customize this recipe as per your preference.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 38gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 768mgPotassium: 513mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1202IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 302mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer Nutritional information is an estimate and may change based on products used.
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