Preheat the oven to 400°F
Make a seasoning mix: Add the salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towel.
Arrange the chicken in a baking dish (we use a 2-quart 10 x 8 inch casserole dish). Rub it all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Sprinkle about ½ of the prepared seasoning mix on the chicken – make sure to get both sides.
Cut the ends off each tomato. Slice one tomato into roughly ¼ inch slices. You will need about 2-3 slices for each piece of chicken, depending on how large they are. Cut a couple of slices from a second tomato if you need to.
Place the tomato slices on top of the chicken without overlapping. Sprinkle them with generous pinch of the seasoning mix.
Cut the remaining tomatoes into quarters, then cut each quarter into 1-inch pieces. Place the cut tomatoes in a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining seasoning mix. Toss to coat.
Arrange the cut tomatoes around the chicken.
Bake the chicken for 20 – 25 minutes or until cooked through. The chicken should be at 165°F at the thickest part of the largest piece. Use an instant read thermometer to be sure.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Carefully move the oven rack and set it on the top third of the oven.
Set the oven to broil.
Arrange the mozzarella slices on top of the chicken without overlapping.
Place the dish back in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Do not leave the oven’s side during this step. Turn on the light and peek in because the cheese can go from melted and beautiful to burnt in no time.
Cut the basil into thin strips (chiffonade) right before serving. Garnish the baked chicken caprese with the sliced basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, if desired. Serve on a bed of pasta like we do here or with your favorite side dish.