โ All recipes ยท ๐ฟ Mediterranean
๐ฟ Mediterranean
Caprese Stuffed Chicken
โฑ 30 min
๐ ~6g
๐ฝ 4 servings
โญ 5/5
โ ๏ธ Estimates only โ not medical advice. Carb counts vary by brand and portion. Always verify with your endo or CDCES.
๐ Cultural note
Caprese is the Italian flag on a plate โ red, white, green, and not a single fussy ingredient. Stuffing it inside chicken turns three good things into one knockout dinner. My kid calls them "pizza chickens."
Why this recipe is T1D-friendly
- Almost zero carbs โ a true "low day" lifesaver when blood sugar is already elevated
- ~40g protein per serving (huge!) โ keeps kids full for hours
- Pair with any starchy side and you can dose precisely for just that side
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (0g)
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 thin rounds (2g total)
- 1 large tomato, sliced into 8 thin rounds (4g total)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (0g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (0g)
- 1 tbsp balsamic glaze (about 1g per drizzle, 4g total)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (0g)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (0g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Toothpicks (8)
- Fresh basil for garnish (0g)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐF.
- Butterfly each chicken breast: slice horizontally almost through to make a pocket. Don't cut all the way!
- Season inside and out with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Layer inside each pocket: 2 slices mozzarella, 2 slices tomato, 3-4 basil leaves.
- Close the pocket and secure with 2 toothpicks per breast.
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 3 minutes per side until golden.
- Transfer skillet to oven. Bake 15-18 minutes until chicken hits 165ยฐF.
- Rest 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks (count them!).
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and shower with fresh basil.
Dash's kid tips ๐
- Dash's pro move: serve sliced cross-section side up so kids see the melty cheese โ instant "yes please."
- For carb-cautious days, pair with sautรฉed zucchini noodles (3g carbs). For balanced days, a small portion of orzo (~22g) works great.
- Skip balsamic for the youngest eaters and use a swipe of pesto instead.