Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles are an easy, light, summer dinner. Made with spiralized zucchini and fresh tomatoes, they’re gluten free and delicious! Caprese Zoodles are the best meal that everyone will love!
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Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil are basically meant to be together. They’re three of my all time favorite things to cook with.
Typically tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil are used in caprese salad and served with bread – but I like to serve them in a different way! Zucchini noodles + chicken take caprese salad to the next level, and turn it into a full meal!
Enter Caprese Zoodles:
I’ve been making these Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles for years. When summer time rolls around and everyone’s garden is out of control with tomatoes, zucchini, and basil – this is the recipe I always turn to!
This dinner is easy to make, light, fresh + SO delicious. Perfect for meal prepping or throwing together when you’re short on time!
If you’re looking for other healthy zucchini recipes – check out these 30 Healthy Zucchini Recipes! If you want another delicious Caprese recipe – try this Caprese Pasta Salad or Stuffed Caprese Chicken!
Let me show you just how simple this dinner is to make!
Ingredients for Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles
To make Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles you’ll need 10 ingredients:
- olive oil
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
- mozzarella balls
- tomatoes
- zucchini
- basil
- chicken breasts
- Balsamic reduction is optional, but delicious!
We’ve included some substitutions below if you don’t have all the ingredients on hand.
How to make Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles:
Making Chicken Caprese Zoodles is super simple and takes less than 30 minutes. Here’s how to do it!
- Prep all your ingredients by chopping/spiralizing.
- Cook your chicken until browned. Remove from pan and set aside
- Add tomatoes into pan and cook until just slightly softened.
- Stir in zucchini noodles and cook until they start to soften.
- Once they’re softened, stir in mozzarella and cooked chicken.
- Top with balsamic reduction if you’d like, and dig in!
Substitutions for Caprese Zoodles:
This is a pretty flexible recipe. You can substitute what you have on hand to make the dish come together:
Protein- I haven’t tried this with any other protein but I think it would work with ground turkey or shrimp!
Herbs– You could use dried basil in this recipe instead of fresh, but I would definitely not recommend it. If you have to use it, use 1/2 teaspoon dried basil. You could also add in fresh parsley to this recipe if you like.
Pesto –If you don’t have basil, you could stir in 1-2 tablespoons of pesto
Garlic – You can use fresh garlic in this recipe. I’d use one tablespoon of chopped fresh garlic and stir it in while cooking the tomatoes.
Pasta – You can use pasta instead of zucchini noodles in this recipe. For paleo pasta, I like Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi or Capello’s fettuccine and will sometimes even add them into this dish for extra volume/carbs.
For gluten free pasta I like Modern Table Meals. You can also do half past and half zucchini noodles. I would cook the pasta while the chicken is cooking and toss it in when you would toss in zucchini noodles.
Help! My zucchini noodles are always soggy!
I commonly get asked how to avoid watery zucchini noodles. I have two tips for you for how to avoid soggy zucchini noodles.
REALLY squeeze the water out of them. I use a thick, absorbent (and clean!) dish towel and squeeze the water out of the noodles hard. The towel should be damp when done.
Lay the zucchini noodles out on a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt until ready to use. Typically I will squeeze them again and then add them to whatever dish I’m making.
If you are going to meal prep this dish, I recommend not adding the zucchini noodles to the dish until you are ready to serve. You can place the chicken/veggie mixture into a container and place your raw zucchini noodles on top. When you’re ready to eat, microwave or heat over the stove to avoid mushy noodles.
Storing/Serving Caprese Zucchini Noodles:
Storing: This meal will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator
Freezing: We do not recommend freezing this recipe. The cheese + zoodles will not freeze well.
Reheating: We recommend reheating this dish in a pan on the stove. You can also microwave it, but it may get a little watery.
Other yummy low carb dinner recipes:
Chicken Caprese Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small cubes
- 1 lb zucchini (approx 3 small zucchini)
- 2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup mini mozzarella balls halved
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction for dressing- optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet heat olive oil. Cook chicken 7-8 minutes until browned.
- While chicken cooks, spiralize zucchini, chop tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
- Once chicken has cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Add in cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil to the pan. Sauté for 3 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in zucchini noodles, salt + pepper.
- Add cooked chicken back in with the zucchini + tomatoes. Toss to combine.
- When ready to serve, stir in chopped mozzarella balls. Garnish with balsamic reduction + enjoy!
GiGi Eats says
That chicken is just so HUNKY 😉
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Why thank you 😉
jill conyers says
Yum! Liz this looks delicious.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you so much, Jill!
glenneth says
i have really got to try zoodles! that looks delicious!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Yes you do! They’re amazing!
Christina Bauer says
I love all things caprese, and using zoodles is such a great idea!!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Christina! Caprese is the best 🙂
Cassie Autumn Tran says
I am such a food photography fanatic! So far as of 2016, I haven’t NOT taken a photo of my food. What can I say? Every meal is just an awesome memory! I have to make this zoodle bowl one of them too 😉
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
I totally agree!
Natalie @ A Fit Philosophy says
Zoodles!!!! YUM Love this combo!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you!! 🙂
Ilka says
Saw this on Instagram and it looks absolutely amazing! I want this salad for lunch! 🙂
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you so much! You should make it 🙂
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
I love caprese so much! I basically ate it every day in Italy!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Same here! It’s so delish!
Melissa @ Mango About Town says
I love love love anything caprese. I could live off fresh mozzarella!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Me too!! It’s SO good!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
What a lovely light meal! Fresh basil and balsamic is all I need!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
I’m right there with ya! Fresh basil and balsamic is delicious!
Carly @ Fitliving Eats says
Omg… yum!! I love caprese salad. I ate it all the time when I went to Italy! This salad looks absolutely delicious and easy! Great recipe, Liz!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Me too!! The caprese salad in Italy is the best – it’s what inspired this recipe 🙂
Giselle Rochford says
Can you believe I’ve never had a Caprese salad? And now that I’m dairy-free I doubt I ever will. But it’s one of those things that always looks so good and makes my wish I could give it a try lol
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
That’s a bummer!! Have you tried Kite Hill cheese? They made almond milk cheese. I’ve never had it but I’ve heard it’s pretty good!
Alyssa says
My favorite fresh herb meal to make is pesto! I love having it as a condiment to throw into salads, top grilled meat or mix into quinoa. I also like that pesto can be made a bit lighter with a bit of vegetable broth in place of some of the olive oil!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Fresh pesto is so delicious! I bet it would be great on top of this!
Kristin F. says
This looks delicious! I’m always looking for light, paleo-friendly summer meals and this is perfect. Thanks for sharing.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Kristin! You can just skip the mozzarella to make this paleo or swap with a paleo cheese 🙂
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness says
That app looks so convenient and that salad looks SO good! Big fan of caprese over here! This is the perfect lunch for those hot summer days!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
The app is awesome! It’s so great for sharing things with your friends and family. Caprese is sooo good in the summer time!
Abby @ WinsteadWandering says
What a perfect light summer meal! I’m with you- fresh veggies are the BEST. And that balsamic on top…yum!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you, Abby! It’s such a great dish for the warm summer weather!
Amber at Eat 2 Save Your Life says
YUM!!!! I love Caprase salad! And zoodels! How have I never combined the two before!? I will have to try this soon!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
You have to try it!! They’re so delicious together!
Les @ The Balanced Berry says
So this is basically my dream meal. All of the fresh veggies and mozz…swoon! Italy is my dream destination – I’m so glad you had a great trip. I’m itching to go!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
It’s the best combo! We spent 2 weeks in Italy and I can’t wait to go back. I’d put it at the top of your travel bucket list – it’s truly an amazing experience!
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
This looks so good! I love how fresh it is.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Joanna! I love all the fresh produce that summertime brings!
Amber says
This looks so good! Yum.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you, Amber!
Cristina @ I Say Nomato says
I adore caprese salad, I don’t think there’s a better meal for summer out there!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
I’m right there with ya 🙂 can’t go wrong with fresh tomatoes, mozz + basil!
Ellie | Hungry by Nature says
Liz! I made something similar (minus the chicken) over the weekend and it’s sitting in my queue… SO good and fresh!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Isn’t it such a great flavor combo? I think it’s going to be a weekly summer staple for us!
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
This looks amazing! We went on a bit of a zoodle craze for awhile but now I’ve been meaning to make them again. This sounds like a delicious and healthy dinner idea. And so easy, too!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
They’re so fun to make and eat! Now that summer is coming up, I’m sure I’ll be spiralizng more 🙂
julia-tagandtibby says
Yum! Pinning this for later!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Julia!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Girl, that is one gorgeous salad! I love a caprese and you are a genius to add zoodles and chicken! Your trip to Italy sounds amazing too!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you, Rachelle! Our Italy trip was fantastic! and this salad is crazy good 🙂
Laura Gilleland says
Fresh produce and veggies in the summer is the absolute best!! You are so lucky to have an abundant garden at your in-laws place! Yum, looking forward to trying this caprese bowl!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
We are very lucky!! I’m sure you’ll love this bowl 🙂
Jeannie says
Soooo good!! Night two of your recipes and my Husband is raving!!! Another five stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ thank you!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Jeannie! This makes me so happy to hear that you and your husband are enjoying the recipes 🙂
Lisa Mazzaro says
This is such a delicious recipe! It is light, but at the same time super satisfying and healthy. Love it!.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Lisa!! I’m glad you liked it!
Candy says
Amazing dish! Easy to make and so yummy! I highly recommend making this one.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Candy! I appreciate it!
Stacy says
Made this for lunch today (thanks to the instagram post). This recipe was delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Stacy! Glad you enjoyed it!