Grilled chicken caprese skewers with balsamic glaze
35 min · 23 g protein · 177 cals / serving
Garlicky grilled chicken bites threaded onto cocktail sticks with sweet cherry tomatoes, basil and little pieces of mozzarella, then drizzled with sticky balsamic glaze. A party skewer that eats like a proper snack, good warm or straight from the fridge.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb 2 oz (2 large breasts) chicken breast, cut into 24 cubes of about 2.5 cm (1 inch)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- a few grinds black pepper
- 24 (about 1 pint) cherry tomatoes
- 12 cherry-size mozzarella balls (4 oz) mozzarella, 18% fat, drained, patted dry and halved
- 24 small leaves fresh basil
- 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic glaze
Steps
- Toss the chicken cubes with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and leave for 15 minutes, or up to 4 hours in the fridge.
- Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, or wooden ones soaked in water for 20 minutes. Grill or griddle over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until browned and cooked through to 165°F in the thickest piece. Rest for 5 minutes, then slide the pieces off.
- Thread each cocktail stick with a cherry tomato, a basil leaf folded in half, half a mozzarella ball and a piece of chicken. Lay them on a platter.
- Just before serving, drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Good to know
Can I cook the chicken in the oven?
Yes. Spread the marinated cubes on a lined tray and roast at 425°F for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until they reach 165°F. An air fryer at 400°F takes about 10 minutes.
Which mozzarella should I buy?
Small fresh balls (ciliegine or bocconcini) are what the recipe counts. Cubes of low-moisture mozzarella (the firm block kind) are denser and saltier, at about 69 instead of 72.
Can I make them ahead?
Grill the chicken up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Thread the skewers up to 4 hours before serving, keep them covered and cold, and add the glaze at the last minute.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 128
- Protein
- (52%)
- 16 g
- Fat
- (38%)
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- (10%)
- 4 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 204 mg
More snacks
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1064 kcal goes into the pot and 966 g of ingredients comes out as about 830 g of food: 128 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.