This east one pan Chicken Bruschetta is made with golden pan-seared chicken cutlets topped with melted smoked mozzarella, and finished with fresh tomato bruschetta topping and a drizzle of glossy balsamic glaze.
Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s one of my go-to weeknight dinners when I want something that feels special and a little fancy, but without a lot of work or dishes.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Method: Pan-seared
- Main Ingredients: Chicken cutlets, roma tomatoes, basil, mozzarella
- Flavor Profile: Fresh, savory, tangy and sweet
- Ideal for: Easy weeknight dinners, date night
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast: Pound them to an even ⅓-inch thickness. Even thickness means even cooking, so you won’t end up with a dry edge and an undercooked center. You can also use thinly sliced cutlets.
- Roma tomatoes: I like roma tomatoes for chicken bruschetta because they are a little less watery. Removing the seeds keeps the bruschetta topping from turning soggy.
- Smoked mozzarella: It melts beautifully and adds a subtle smoky flavor. Regular mozzarella (fresh or sliced) works just fine, too!
- Fresh basil: Julienned or chopped. Use fresh only! Dried basil will not have the same flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar and balsamic glaze: Two different things! The balsamic vinegar is mixed right into the tomatoes, while the balsamic glaze, which is thick and syrupy, is drizzled on top.
- Honey: Just a touch, to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar.
- Aromatics and seasonings: Olive oil, fresh minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
As always, ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cheese: Swap smoked mozzarella for regular mozzarella, fresh or sliced. Provolone also works in a pinch.
- Protein: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead, but chicken breasts work best.
- Craving something similar? My Chicken Margherita has a lot of the similar flavors, but with fresh basil pesto.
How to Make Chicken Bruschetta
- Make the tomato bruschetta topping. While the chicken rests, combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and basil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside so the flavors come together.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then season both sides with olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes per side (depending on the thickness), until golden and cooked through in the center.
- Melt the cheese. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of mozzarella, then transfer the skillet to the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until melted. Tip: Watch this closely! Broiling happens really fast.
- Add bruschetta topping. Spoon the prepared tomato basil bruschetta topping generously over each cheesy chicken breast. Drizzle to taste with balsamic glaze, and garnish with a little extra fresh basil.
Tips for Success
- Make the tomato topping first and let it sit for a few minutes while you prep the rest, so it has time for the flavors to come together.
- Thin chicken cutlets work best here for fast and even cooking. If you buy chicken breasts, split them in half lengthwise to make cutlets, and pound evenly with a meat mallet.
- Remove the tomato seeds: This keeps the bruschetta topping from becoming watery and soggy. You can also use cherry tomatoes.
- Broiling cheese: If you don’t have an oven-safe pan for broiling the cheese, simply cover the pan with a lid on the stovetop and cook until the cheese is melted.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use cherry tomatoes?
Yes, definitely! Halved or quartered.
Can I grill the chicken instead of pan-searing it?
Yes. Grill the seasoned chicken for about 5 minutes per side, then top with mozzarella and let it melt with the grill lid closed for a minute or two.
Can I use dried basil?
Preferably not. Fresh basil is a key ingredient in bruschetta and makes a huge difference in flavor.
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make ahead: Dice the tomatoes and mince the garlic the day before. When ready to cook, add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings. This will prevent the tomatoes form getting soggy overnight.
- Storage: Store the leftover chicken and the tomato topping separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the microwave oven until warm. Add the tomatoes after reheating, not before.
What to Serve with Bruschetta Chicken
This bruschetta chicken recipe can be served on its own, but I like to round out the meal with a few sides! Here are my favorite things to serve with it:
Pasta or grains: Serve with my simple Lemon Garlic Pasta, it’s really good. Or if you prefer rice, it’s great with my Saffron Risotto or this Garlic Butter Rice.
Salad: Keep it light with my Lemon Arugula Salad, or go a little heartier with my Italian Chopped Salad recipe.
Bread: Just some warm crusty bread, or for something fancier, try my Italian Cheese Bread.
More Weeknight Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Bruschetta
This easy, one pan chicken bruschetta recipe comes together in just 30 minutes with minimal prep. It's fresh, cheesy, and with sweet and savory flavors from the balsamic.
Servings 4 people
Calories 334kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 roma tomatoes - seeds removed and diced
- 1 medium clove garlic - very finely minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar - plus more to taste
- Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey - to taste
- 6 leaves fresh basil - julienned or chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 4 chicken breast cutlets - pounded thin evenly ⅓ inch
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese - I use smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella works too
- Balsamic glaze - (the thick glaze) for serving
Instructions
- Make the bruschetta topping: In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, honey, and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken cutlets dry, and season salt (about ½ teaspoon per cutlet), ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and rub the seasonings in.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked through (165°F in the center).
- Melt the cheese: Top each chicken breast with a slice of mozzarella. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil for 1-2 minutes until melted. Tip: Watch closely because broiling happens quite fast.
- Add the tomato bruschetta topping: Spoon the prepared tomato bruschetta topping over the cheesy chicken. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to taste and garnish with more fresh basil. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chicken: I usually split a chicken breast in half lengthwise to make 2 thinner chicken cutlets. But you can also buy already sliced chicken cutlets from the store.
- Roma tomatoes work best in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever you can find.
- Use fresh basil only! Dried basil won’t work well in this recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar vs. balsamic glaze: Balsamic vinegar is used to mix in with the tomatoes. Balsamic glaze (I use store-bought) is a thick, syrupy glaze that gets drizzled on at the end.
- To melt the cheese, either place it under the oven broiler for 1-2 minutes, or cover with a lid on the stovetop until melted.
- Storage: Refrigerate chicken and tomato topping in separate containers for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat chicken in the microwave oven first, then spoon the topping on top.
- Cheese: Fresh mozzarella ball (sliced), sliced deli-style mozzarella, provolone.
- You can use boneless chicken thighs as well, adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Grill option: Grill chicken 5 mins per side, top with cheese, and melt with the lid closed.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 961mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 807IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1mg
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