Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta

Today we’re serving up Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta and vegetables. It has been a long-standing family favorite, but today we’re serving it up new and improved with our secret tip on how to take this classic recipe to the next level with one simple trick. Interested?

I can’t remember exactly when we started making our version of bruschetta chicken, but I’m pretty sure it started with a Cooking Light recipe. I was a Cooking Light magazine subscriber for years and still like to grab a copy from the newsstand now and then for recipe inspiration and also because I enjoy the simple pleasure of flipping through a good magazine while sipping my morning coffee. But there are a lot of versions of this recipe out there and it’s something you can easily adapt to fit your own tastes (provided you eat chicken, of course). Here’s a nice version of Chicken Bruschetta from Skinny Taste and Whitney Bond has a cool Grilled Chicken Bruschetta Zoodle Bowl. But Bruschetta is a traditional Italian antipasto dish often consisting of tomatoes and other things over grilled bread. So the idea for Bruschetta Chicken is pretty simple, a medley of tomatoes and other things over chicken.

Elevating your Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta to a new level | Our secret tip

My friend’s husband used to work at a steakhouse.  Apparently, the key to a good steak is to get a good sear on both sides in a cast iron pan and then finish  it off, if needed, in the oven.  Makes sense. A good sear locks in all of that flavor. So ever since learning this trick I’ve always seared steak on both sides before putting it in the oven.

What does cooking a steak have to do with this Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta recipe?  I’m guessing you’ve figured that out by now after reading the intro. The searing trick works for chicken too! And it’s a good thing too as I’ve developed a meat allergy that no longer allows me to eat steak (boo!).

Early on in this recipe’s history, we always just baked the chicken in a pan in the oven.  It was good, but slightly lacking.  I could never figure out exactly what is was lacking until recently when I decided to test out the steak theory on chicken breasts. Suddenly everything came together and our Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta soared to new heights (seared to new heights?)! It was a serious “Duh!” moment. It should have been an obvious thing to try, right? But we all get locked into certain recipes and often forget that key to any great recipe is experimentation. Make it your own.

First, I heat up a pan on the stove, add a tiny bit of oil, and then the chicken breasts with just a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Then, I heat them for maybe 3 minutes per side–just enough to give it a nice browned coating and a nice sear.  Finally, I pop them into the oven for about 20-25 minutes (time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken). BAM! Flavor kicked up a notch. I will never go back to just straight baking chicken breasts again. You’ve gotta pan sear them first! It’s a game changer.

When you make Chicken Bruschetta with vegetables you can vary what  veggies you want on top of the chicken. We love onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and squash of some kind, but you can change it up if you wish. Go with some of your favorites.  I think peppers might be good.  Or some sort  of ratatouille like vegetables would be delicious. Remember what I said above…the key to any great recipe is experimentation. Make it a great recipe for YOU!

The details:

Chicken and Balsamic Vegetables

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Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• 1 red onion
• 1 small package baby bell mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 plum tomatoes
• 1/3 c . balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh thyme
• parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Heat a pan that can be transferred to the oven on medium heat.
• Add chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
• Sear chicken on both sides for approximately 3 minutes per side.
• Place pan with chicken in oven for approximately 20 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking on the stove, heat another pan on medium heat with oil.
• Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add slightly more oil, then zucchini and yellow squash and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add tomato and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add balsamic vinegar and deglaze your pan.
• Let vegetable mixture cook for several minutes while chicken is finishing or resting.

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