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Bruschetta Chicken in a Balsamic sauce with diced tomatoes and fresh basil.
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Bruschetta Chicken

This Bruschetta Chicken is an easy and healthy dinner recipe with juicy chicken breasts baked in a balsamic sauce with mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, and basil.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 498kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt/Pepper
  • ½ cup Italian salad dressing see notes
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup dry white wine can sub chicken broth. See notes.
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
  • Fresh basil leaves

Sauce

  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water

Optional Topping

  • 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Work

  • Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Place in a gallon freezer bag (or in between saran wrap) and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick. Pat dry.
  • Sprinkle lightly with salt/pepper. Place the Italian dressing in a gallon freezer bag and add the chicken. Remove excess air from the bag and seal. Let it marinade at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  • While the chicken marinates, combine all sauce ingredients EXCEPT for the cornstarch/water and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sear the Chicken

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear it in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

  • Clean any black spots from the skillet but leave the brown “fond” as this adds flavor to the sauce. Add the wine to the skillet over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet. Let it reduce by half, 3-4 minutes.
  • Melt the butter, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the combined sauce ingredients. Let it simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch + cold water in a small container with a lid and shake to combine.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil and stir in the cornstarch mixture until thickened and combined, then remove from heat. (If it thickens more than you’d like, stir in a little chicken broth. You also don’t have to add all of the cornstarch mixture)

Assemble and Bake

  • Transfer the sauce to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish if your skillet isn’t oven safe.
  • Add the chicken to the sauce along with any juices from the plate. Spoon a little sauce over the chicken and top each piece with the mozzarella and Parmesan, then sprinkle with diced tomatoes.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
  • Garnish with fresh basil. Additional garnish options include chopped parsley, finely shredded Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper.
  • Optional: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add panko breadcrumbs. Stir continuously until toasted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from hot skillet and sprinkle over serving plates for added flair!

Notes

Pro Tips
  • Wine: Pinot Grigio is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
  • Whole milk/low moisture mozzarella melts best in this recipe.
  • Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and taste much better than pre-shredded. I use Dragone mozzarella and Belgioioso parmesan. 
  • The mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce are flavor enhancers that you can't taste outright.
  • I use Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing for the chicken marinade. (I have a homemade version of this dressing as well!)
  • I use Pompeian Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar for the sauce.
  • Finely diced red onions make a great addition to the baking dish as well.
  • Pairing Suggestions: A variety of roasted vegetables and potato dishes go well with this recipe. Check out all of my side dish recipes!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 106 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftover chicken can be frozen with the sauce. The tomatoes can be included but don't hold up quite as well upon reheating.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe, the optional Panko breadcrumb topping is not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 746IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 2mg