Helloooooo 4th of July weekend (almost)!
4th of July is a little bit of a joke when you have babies and toddlers but still fun to celebrate during the day, and I especially love the food! This weekend our big plan is to just R-E-L-A-X. Adam has been traveling a lot for work lately and the kids are just coming off yet another cold. I think we are going to spend Saturday morning at the lake and maybe also work in a beach day. Definitely a lot of grilling and a lot of light meals just like this one are going to go down. Our weather has been so good lately.
Caprese salads are one of my favorite things ever. They are hard to beat this time of year, when tomatoes are just starting to get perfect and basil is abundant. However, sometimes they just aren’t filling enough for me for a meal. Hence the roast chicken. ? Turns out, combining yummy roast chicken with a traditional caprese salad is absolutely delicious. It’s filling, yet feels light…perfect for summer!
Because we’re using chicken thighs here (instead of a whole chicken and PLEASE don’t use chicken breasts. They get all dry and lack so much flavor) they roast quickly in just half an hour. This is THE perfect meal to make while you’re packing for a picnic and it travels extremely well. Your friends and family will thank you!
I’ll check back in on Tuesday morning with a cocktail you’re definitely going to be wanting to sip on when the fireworks go off. ? So stay tuned!
Roast Chicken Caprese Salad
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs chicken thighs skin on or skinless is fine
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil torn or shredded
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6 oz galbani (mini mozzarella balls)
for dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
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Place chicken thighs on prepared sheet pan and drizzle lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
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When then the chicken has cooled down enough to handle, roughly chop it into bite sized pieces. Place in a large bowl with the basil, mozzarella and tomatoes.
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Combine all dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour dressing over and sprinkle with additional sea salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes
This salad will keep for three days in the refrigerator and travels very well to picnics!
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