Description
Bruschetta Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender marinated chicken breasts topped with a rich garlic and balsamic sauce, melted mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and fresh cherry tomatoes. Finished with a quick bake to meld the flavors, this Italian-inspired recipe offers a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and fresh notes, ideal for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Italian salad dressing
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Balsamic Sauce
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water (for slurry)
Optional Breadcrumb Topping
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Prep Work: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Place them in a gallon freezer bag or between plastic wrap and pound to ½ inch thickness using the textured side of a meat mallet. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Marinate Chicken: Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Pour the Italian salad dressing into a gallon freezer bag, add the chicken pieces, remove excess air, and seal the bag. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Prepare Sauce Ingredients: While marinating, combine all sauce ingredients except the cornstarch slurry in a bowl and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients for cooking.
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 400°F (205°C) to get ready for baking later.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and sear the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown crust forms. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce Base: Without completely cleaning the skillet (leaving the browned bits), add chicken broth to deglaze the pan over medium heat. Use a spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom and sides. Let the broth reduce by half over 3-4 minutes to concentrate flavors.
- Add Butter and Garlic: Melt butter in the skillet, then add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the prepared balsamic sauce mixture and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Thicken Sauce: Shake or stir the cornstarch and cold water together to make a slurry. Bring the sauce to a boil and slowly stir in the slurry until the sauce thickens to your liking. Remove from heat. If too thick, adjust with a splash of chicken broth.
- Assemble and Bake: If the skillet isn’t oven safe, transfer the sauce to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the seared chicken pieces to the sauce along with any accumulated juices. Spoon sauce over the chicken, then top each piece with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes evenly on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and slightly bubbled.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Optional garnishes include chopped parsley, extra shredded parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper for added flavor and presentation.
- Optional Breadcrumb Topping: For extra texture, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add panko breadcrumbs, and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until toasted golden brown. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over plated servings for a delightful crunch.
Notes
- Marinating chicken at room temperature for 20 minutes allows flavors to penetrate but avoid longer marination to prevent texture changes.
- If you prefer a spicier version, add red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture.
- The balsamic sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; warm it before combining with chicken.
- Make sure not to burn garlic when adding to the sauce; cook only until fragrant.
- If you don’t have mozzarella, provolone or monterey jack are good substitutes.
- For a gluten-free version, omit panko breadcrumbs or use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
