Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

This Italian inspired recipe is so ridiculously easy to throw together whenever you need a healthy, protein-packed dinner. All you have to do is marinate the chicken, mix up some bruschetta, grill the chicken, and serve it together. Sounds simple, right? It is, and that’s why we love this dinner.

From start to finish, you can make this easy recipe in 45 minutes or less. Use the extra time while the chicken is marinating to prepare healthy side dishes like our oven roasted parmesan green beans or a strawberry spinach goat cheese salad, and you’ll have a well rounded meal on the table in no time.

Bruschetta Chicken Ingredients

Bruschetta chicken really states everything right in the name! But to be sure you have everything you need to make this recipe, here are the ingredients you’ll need for both the chicken and the bruschetta.

For the balsamic chicken, you’ll need:

• Chicken breast
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt

For the bruschetta, you’ll need:

• Vine tomato
• Yellow onion
• Fresh oregano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Grated parmesan
• Sea salt

If you want to make this recipe stupidly simple, you can always use store bought fresh bruschetta. However, making it from scratch allows you to customize it to your liking. We find the fresh oregano and grated parmesan adds a complexity to the overall flavor that’s usually missing from most store bought bruschetta.

Since you’ll be marinating the chicken in balsamic vinegar, don’t use the fanciest or most expensive balsamic you own (or find at the grocery store). We recommend using something that’s middle-of-the-road in terms of quality and price. You want a clean, bold flavor, but you don’t need to spring for something that should only be enjoyed with some olive oil and freshly baked bread. 

How To Make Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

As there are just two parts to this dish, it’s extremely easy to prepare and only requires 4 steps. Marinate the chicken, make the bruschetta, cook the chicken, then combine and serve!

Here are step by step instructions for how to make this healthy chicken dinner:

1. First, combine the chicken, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt in a bowl and marinate for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. In the meantime, make the bruschetta. Combine the tomato, onion, oregano, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, and salt in a bowl, and stir until mixed well. Set aside.
3. Next, grill the chicken. We use our cast iron grill pan to get the same char that you would from a grill, but on our stovetop. The grill time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. Generally 12 to 15 minutes will be enough, but you should always check the chicken with a digital thermometer to make sure it’s cooked through to 165 degrees F.
4. Finally, serve the chicken topped with bruschetta and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

That’s really it. Just 4 easy steps and dinner is served!

Note that the recipe calls for two chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness. This is for two reasons:

1. So that both chicken breasts cook at the same rate, and each piece cooks evenly
2. So you have plenty of surface area for topping the chicken with bruschetta

Chicken breasts are often thicker on one end than the other, so pounding them thinner helps even out the thickness so that the chicken cooks more evenly. This will yield tender, juicy chicken in every bite, instead of tough edges and a juicy center.

This chicken is also best served with a hearty helping of bruschetta. Pounding each chicken breast thinner will give you more surface area for the topping, which in turn provides a better ratio of chicken to bruschetta in every bite.

What To Serve With Bruschetta Chicken 

As grilled bruschetta chicken with balsamic vinegar doesn’t really make a full meal, you might be wondering what to serve it with to help round out your dinner. Here are some of our favorite side dishes to serve with your bruschetta chicken:

• Easy smashed potatoes
• Roasted veggie risotto
• Oven roasted parmesan green beans
• Strawberry spinach goat cheese salad

You can’t go wrong with a starch, vegetable, or salad (or all 3!) alongside this grilled balsamic chicken.

Why You’ll Love Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled bruschetta chicken makes for a great weeknight dinner for two, or for the whole family! It’s easy to prepare quickly, and if you pair it with the right sides it can be a healthy, well rounded meal. This chicken dinner is filled with protein and can be a great way to introduce more veggies into your (or your family’s) diet. 

But besides being healthy, this recipe is a light and flavorful dinner that almost anyone will enjoy thanks to the fresh produce and rich balsamic vinegar. Next time you’re looking for a light spring dinner – maybe the first dinner outside on your deck or patio this year – give this grilled bruschetta chicken a try. Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please rate and share!