Chicken breast roast with eggplant and zucchini caponata, a complete and very tasty second course, also great for summer because it can be served at room temperature. I cooked the whole chicken breast in a pan, then let it cool and sliced it thinly. I prepared the caponata in the classic way, with sweet and sour tomato sauce, but also adding some zucchini (if you don’t like them, you can omit them). Try this recipe, it is very simple but really flavorful and appetizing!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast (about 1.3-1.4 lbs)
- 1 round eggplant
- 3 zucchini
- 1 cup tomato pulp
- Half red onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons olives (green or others to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- spices (to taste)
- salt
Tools
- Pan
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Bowl
Preparation
Start by preparing the caponata: wash the eggplant and cut it into cubes, sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. When the cubes are tender and golden on the outside, transfer them to a plate.
Trim the zucchini and cut them into slices or cubes. Sauté them in the same pan, with a dash of oil and a pinch of salt. When they’re ready, remove them from the heat and combine them with the eggplants.
Coarsely chop the onion and celery, put them in the pan with a dash of oil, the capers, and the olives. Let them soften for a moment, add the tomato and cook on low heat until it thickens a bit.
Mix in a small bowl the sugar and vinegar, add them to the sauce, and continue cooking for a few minutes over medium heat.
Finally, add the eggplants and zucchini (1). Let the caponata cook for a few more minutes, adjusting the salt if necessary.
Now take the chicken breast, separate the two halves removing any tendons and small bones.
Massage the meat with salt, herbs, and spices to taste (you can also use pre-seasoned salt or a roast mix).
Heat a pan with a little oil, add the chicken and sear it on both sides (2).
Moisten the bottom with a finger of hot water or meat broth, cover the pan, and let cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
When finished, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board, let them cool, and cut them into thin slices (3).
The chicken roast with caponata is ready, place the slices of meat on a platter and add the caponata, garnishing with some fresh basil leaves.
I recommend serving at room temperature, or slightly warm.
Tips and Notes
You can adapt the recipe using turkey breast or pork loin.
You can make the caponata in the traditional way, with only eggplants.
You can cook the meat in the oven instead of in a pan.
You can prepare both the caponata and the roast the day before, just store everything in the refrigerator and reheat when needed.
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