Cheesy chicken with the most irresistible bruschetta topping!
I of course use the term ‘bruschetta’ here fairly loosely, but its inspiration is flowing through this recipe nevertheless. Follow me…
Bruschetta Topping
You could eat this type of thing straight out of the bowl. Better still, you only need a handful of ingredients:
Bruschetta Topping Ingredients
- Tomatoes – As good quality and as fresh as possible! They are the star of the show after all.
- Basil – Must be fresh, don’t use dried basil.
- Red Onion – Not the most traditional addition, but it adds a gorgeous pop of flavour and colour.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – If you’ve only got regular olive oil you can use that, but extra virgin is definitely preferable.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Adds a lovely tangy flavour. Could sub balsamic vinegar if you’d prefer.
- Salt & Pepper – Bring out the best in these simple ingredients with a generous seasoning of salt & pepper.
What kind of tomatoes should I use?
If you’ve got the time and patience, I recommend using baby plum tomatoes. They don’t turn as watery as larger varieties of tomatoes. In reality though you can use any type of fresh/ripe tomatoes.
Process shots: gather ingredients (photo 1), add to bowl (photo 2), mix (photo 3).
Cheesy Chicken
Now, whilst you could plonk the bruschetta topping right on top of a chicken breast and be done with it, it seems like the perfect opportunity to add cheese, doesn’t it? 😋
To prep the chicken, we’re going to slice each breast right through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts. This way the chicken will cook through quicker and more evenly. From there, give them a simple seasoning of salt, pepper & garlic powder.
What kind of cheese should I use?
I like a combination of mozzarella and parmesan. The mozzarella gives you that glorious cheese pull and the parmesan adds a punch of salty flavour.
To melt the cheese, you could pop a lid on the pan, but I prefer to place the chicken under the grill. I find it melts the parmesan much more efficiently. Just ensure the chicken is just about cooked before adding under the grill, as it’ll carry on cooking slightly.
Process shots: lay chicken on chopping board (photo 1), slice and season (photo 2), add to pan (photo 3), fry (photo 4), add cheese (photo 5), grill (photo 6).
Bruschetta Chicken FAQ
Do I have to add the cheese?
I do highly recommend adding the cheese, especially the mozzarella. I haven’t tried this recipe without cheese, although I’m sure it’ll still taste delicious.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You could make the bruschetta topping ahead of time and tightly store in the fridge until needed. I recommend leaving out the salt and seasoning just before serving, just because the longer the tomatoes sit in salt, the more moisture will be drawn out. I also recommend bringing the topping to room temp, just so you’re not plonking fridge-cold topping on hot chicken.
What can I do with the leftover juices?
Depending on how long the topping sits there, you might find a pool of juice gathering in the bottom of the bowl. I recommend spooning some of this over the chicken and/or using bread to mop up all those lovely flavours!
Serving Bruschetta Chicken
Once you’ve topped the chicken, you’ll want to finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, just to bring everything together. Here I’ve served it with a side salad and Garlic Bread. I highly recommend some form of bread, just to mop up all those lovely juices from the topping!
For more bruschetta recipes check out my Bruschetta Pasta and Feta Bruschetta!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this bruschetta chicken shall we?!
How to make Bruschetta Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken
Equipment
- Large Oven-Safe Pan & Tongs
- Medium Sized Mixing Bowl & Spatula
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Fine Cheese Grater (for parmesan)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2x 250g / 9oz Chicken Breasts, brought close to room temp
- 125g / 4oz Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced (see notes)
- 30g / 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Topping
- 300g / 10.5oz Tomatoes, finely diced (see notes)
- 1/2 small bunch of Fresh Basil, finely diced (15g/0.5oz)
- 1/2 small Red Onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- Balsamic Glaze, to preference
Instructions
- Add all of the 'Topping' ingredients (besides the balsamic glaze) to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir until well combined then place to one side.
- Preheat the grill to HIGH.
- Horizontally slice each chicken breast right through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts. Season both sides with salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Add olive oil to a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry for a few minutes until light golden, then flip them over. Top with mozzarella & parmesan and continue frying for another few minutes until golden on the other side and the chicken is just about cooked through the centre.
- Place the pan under the grill to finish melting the cheese, then remove and rest the chicken for a few minutes.
- Spoon over the topping, then drizzle over your preferred amount of balsamic glaze. Serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
Made this for tea tonight. Delicious.
Great to hear, Kirsty! Thanks so much for the review! C.