The first time I had a really real bruschetta, I was visiting Italy when I was 19 or so, probably a bit tipsy on the “Wahoo, it’s legal!” prosecco, and positively drunk on the food and architecture and landscape. Technically it was bruschetta al pomodoro, since “bruschetta” really just means thin slices of toasted bread, usually brushed with a bit of olive oil and a nice pinch of salt. But whatever it was called, I fell swiftly in love: the perfect bite of the garlic, the tender ripe tomatoes, the fresh and heady basil. All of it came together for a total Italian masterpiece. To this day, as soon as tomato and basil season hits, I’m all about bruschetta recipes: especially this bruschetta chicken recipe. It’s my favorite low-carb way of delivering the insanely flavorful trio of my favorite Italian tomato-basil mixture, no crostini or gluten involved!
Why This Recipe Works
The fresh garlic gives the tomato-basil bruschetta the most beautiful bite and is perfectly garlicky without being overpowering. Using fresh basil adds an indulgent element to the bruschetta chicken. Tons of flavor and super healthy! Topping tender chicken with bruschetta makes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s full of flavor. This bruschetta chicken recipe is Whole30-compliant, paleo, low-carb, and keto, but it would satisfy absolutely anyone!
Personally, I’m a bruschetta freak, so I load my chicken up with as much of the tomato-basil mixture that I can scrounge up. Something about the light touch of olive oil with the garlic, basil, and fresh tomatoes just does me in!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Don’t you love a recipe that’s naturally super healthy? This bruschetta chicken recipe is – wait for it – Whole30, paleo, low carb, and keto, without any weird swaps or substitutions! It’s just real food coming together for the most beautiful dang union.
What goes with bruschetta chicken?
This bruschetta chicken recipe would pair beautifully with a bright green salad for a light but flavorful weeknight dinner recipe. Or try it with stuffed zucchini! Honestly, I think you have a lot of versatility when asking what goes with bruschetta chicken: keep it fresh and light, and you’re set.
How to make it
Making this bruschetta chicken is surprisingly easy. Simply prep your ingredients: chop or mince the bruschetta ingredients, then stir them all together in a bowl and set aside. You can gently pour out some of the excess liquid if your tomatoes were a bit watery, but seeding them when you prep the tomatoes will help with this. Next, you heat a bit of oil in your skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Gently add your chicken breasts and let them be – don’t touch! – for about 8 minutes. Flip after 8 minutes and cook another 2-4 minutes. How long exactly you’ll cook the other side will depend on how giant (or not) your boneless skinless chicken breasts are, but if they’re a pretty standard size, a total of 10-12 minutes is usually perfect. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and let them rest for a moment, then simply transfer your chicken to serving plates and top with lots of fresh bruschetta!
Variations
Pan fry pork chops instead and top with the same tomato-basil bruschetta. It’s delicious! Try this method if you’re using pork chops. Use a variety of tomatoes in your bruschetta: try orange or yellow for a nice, interesting variety in color and taste. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze at the end. Top with cubed fresh mozzarella, if you’re not paleo or Whole30.
Tips
Deseed your tomatoes to keep your bruschetta from being too watery. You can do this by quartering the tomato and, using a paring knife, gently cutting out the watery seeds from the core. Dice from there. Grow your own basil! It’s almost always cheaper to me to buy a small basil plant at the grocery store than continually buying little packages of just the leaves. I keep mine next to my sink. It doesn’t always last forever, but I’m terrible at gardening! And it’s still super convenient and economical. Use an internal thermometer to know exactly when your chicken breasts are cooked. Doing this will lead you to perfectly tender chicken breasts every time and in every recipe. Remove from the pan when the internal temperature reads about 161º F. The internal temperature will rise a few degrees when resting, and pulling them off the heat slightly underdone will prevent them from overcooking when they’re resting.
Did you make and love this recipe? Give it your review below! ? And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
