Juicy Grilled Bruschetta Chicken made with grilled chicken breast, melted mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes and basil drizzled with a sweet balsamic glaze. It’s a simple summer classic!
Other quick, low carb meals we love in summer is this chimichurri chicken and baked chicken caprese.
What Is Bruschetta Chicken?
Bruschetta chicken is inspired by the Italian appetizer Bruschetta, pronounced “brusketa”. An antipasto made of grilled bread that’s rubbed with garlic, then topped with olive oil and salt typically served with tomatoes on top.
This grilled chicken bruschetta recipe uses chicken breasts in place of bread making it a healthy dinner that tastes bright and delicious, especially when tomatoes are in season!
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Bruschetta
All you need is a short list of simple ingredients, fresh is key!
- Chicken: I used 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, juicy tomatoes. I recommend farmers market tomatoes if you can or vine tomatoes for the best results. Roma tomatoes are another good choice.
- Oil: Used for chicken marinade and bruschetta. I used extra virgin olive oil, it is healthy and popular in Italian recipes.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for best results.
- Balsamic vinegar: Helps tenderize the chicken and adds a sweet-sour flavor to the entire dish.
- Balsamic glaze: A thick, sweet and tangy glaze perfect for drizzling over chicken bruschetta.
- Mozzarella cheese: For melty goodness. You can also try provolone cheese.
- Fresh herbs: Finely chopped basil adds to the fresh garden flavor with a slightly spicy taste in every bite.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
How to Make Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
This chicken recipe is easy to make and ready in an hour! Here is a quick step-by-step overview, a full recipe card with measurements is listed below.
- Make bruschetta: In a large bowl, add chopped tomatoes and basil, grated garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and refrigerate.
- Tenderize chicken: Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to lightly pound until even thickness.
- Marinate chicken breasts: In another large bowl, add chicken, olive oil, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat each breast, then cover and place in the fridge. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Grill chicken: Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Use an oil soaked paper towel and rub oil over grill grates, then add chicken. Cover and grill for 10 minutes, flipping once. Insert a meat thermometer into the center, once it reads 165 F your chicken is ready.
- Add cheese: Turn grill off and place cheese on top of each chicken breast. Close the lid and let chicken rest until cheese has melted.
- Add toppings: Once cheese has melted transfer chicken to a large dish, spoon bruschetta on top and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
- Serve: Serve bruschetta chicken hot with your favorite side dish and enjoy!
Variations
Here are some easy variations that help make this recipe a year round favorite.
- Use grape or cherry tomatoes instead. You can use a variety or even a combination of juicy tomatoes.
- Sub balsamic vinegar with red wine vinegar. Red wine vinegar isn’t as sweet, you can add maple syrup or honey for a sweeter version of red wine vinegar.
- Pan fry instead of grilling chicken breasts, similar to pan fried chicken breast.
- Add 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion for crispy texture.
- If you don’t have grill, follow the same instructions using a grill pan.
- Serve bruschetta over shrimp or white fish, it’s a wonderful combination!
- Chicken thighs work if you love dark meat. Boneless skinless chicken thighs take a bit longer to cook on the grill, make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Servings Suggestions
Grilled bruschetta chicken is incredibly versatile and delicious alongside many side dishes or on top pastas and grains. Here are some ideas on how to make it a meal!
- Crunchy crostini is great on the side to soak up the juices, or as a base for any extra bruschetta.
- Serve next to various roasted veggies. I often make creamy mashed potatoes with either roasted asparagus, air fryer broccoli, or garlic green beans.
- Make it a pasta night special on top of plain buttered pasta like spaghetti or penne. Keep chicken bruschetta low carb with spaghetti squash noodles or zucchini noodles.
- Enjoy it as a hearty big salad, over cooked rice, or Instant Pot quinoa.
How to Make Ahead
Make bruschetta the day before and store in the refrigerator, marinate chicken overnight, then grill and serve the following day.
You can also store cooked chicken in the refrigerator separate from bruschetta. When ready to serve, reheat chicken on a skillet, then add toppings.
How to Store
Store: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Once cooled, keep chicken only in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Bruschetta will not freeze or thaw well.
FAQs
You can add roasted or grilled bell peppers, yellow squash, and zucchini to the bruschetta itself. Or follow this chicken bruschetta recipe as is and serve alongside any vegetable of choice.
Reheat chicken in the microwave or preheat oven to 350 F, place chicken in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until heated through.
Yes. Canned tomatoes have more liquid even after draining. I recommend adding salt to help remove excess water before making the bruschetta.
Yes. To bake, preheat oven to 375 F, place marinated chicken flat in a large baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes. Then turn off the oven, arrange cheese on top and let cheese melt. Add bruschetta mixture on top and serve.
To pan fry, follow the recipe and simply pan fry chicken instead of grilling, similar to pan fried chicken breast.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Ingredients
For the Bruschetta Topping:
- 4 tomatoes on the vine finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped into ribbons
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons balsamic glaze
For the Chicken:
- 4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts 2 pounds
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 mozzarella cheese slices
Instructions
Make Bruschetta
- In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir and refrigerate.
Make Chicken
- Place chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with a plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet or rolling pin until even thickness.
- In a large bowl, add chicken breasts, olive oil, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to coat, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill on medium-high heat and oil grill grates with oil soaked paper towel. Grill chicken breasts covered for 10 minutes, flipping once. Chicken is ready when meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 165F.
- Turn off heat, place cheese on top of each chicken. Cover the grill and let chicken stand until cheese has melted.
- Transfer chicken onto a platter, spoon bruschetta on top and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve hot.
