Need a fast, easy, and healthy meal perfect for summer?! You’ve come to the right place! These Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Breasts need to be on your grill, stat! You will LOVE the bright and flavorful Italian-style tomato bruschetta that tops these tender grilled chicken breasts so much, you’ll find yourself making them again and again!
It’s finally grilling season here in Minnesota. And I mean finally! This winter has been a doozy – It was long, cold, windy, and we barely got any snow. Which means no fun outdoor activities like skiing or sledding. Minnesotans always welcome spring with open arms but our arms are open extra wide this year. One of my favorite parts of the spring and summer seasons is grilling. The smoky flavors that the grill adds to your food is so inviting. My husband and I like to get experimental with our grilling. We’ll grill everything from tofu to broccoli to sweet potatoes. We thought we’d kick off this season with a hearty but healthy chicken dish – These Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Breasts are a great way to welcome summer.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Breasts Marinade
I love to grill chicken because it’s hearty and meaty but light at the same time. It’s a great choice for a quick and easy dinner. Marinating the chicken prior to grilling will make it tender and flavorful as it cooks. I used my ‘go-to’ marinade for this Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Breasts recipe. It works for all kinds of chicken dishes.
To make the marinade, start by mincing 2 cloves of garlic. In a small bowl add the minced garlic, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 4 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. rosemary, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix these ingredients together until combined. Place 1 – 1/2 lbs. of boneless chicken breasts in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts (see photo above) – Make sure all the chicken is coated. Place the chicken in the fridge and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or so.
Prepare the Bruschetta
Nothing says summer like a big bowl of bruschetta. Bruschetta is a fresh Italian appetizer that usually consists of tomatoes, olive oil, and basil. It’s usually used to top pieces of bread like these Cheesy Chicken Bruschetta Bread Boats, but I wanted to switch things up and make more of a ‘meal’ out of it. I love to make bruschetta in late summer when my garden tomatoes and basil come in but it’s great anytime.
This Grilled Bruschetta Chicken is super easy to make. Start by mincing 4 cloves of garlic and dice 4 large tomatoes. I like my tomatoes cut fairly small but you can cut them into large chunks if you like. Mince 1/3 cup of fresh basil. Add the diced tomatoes, garlic, 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, and basil to a small bowl along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together until combined. Set the bruschetta aside until the chicken is finished cooking.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
After the chicken breasts have finished marinating it’s time to grill them up. They can be grilled outdoors or indoors on a grill pan. Because spring in Minnesota has meant snowstorms this year I decided to grill them indoors. A cast iron grill pan works great when grilling outdoors isn’t an option.
Heat the grill pan to slightly more than medium. Wait until it gets hot before adding the chicken. The meat should sizzle as it hits the pan or grill. Place them on the grill for 5 minutes on the first side. Once the meat has cooked a little more than halfway through flip them over and repeat. If using an outdoor grill, place the chicken breasts directly over the heat for the first few minutes and then move them to a more indirect heat. This will give you nice grill marks but not overcook the chicken.
The chicken breasts should take about 10 minutes to finish cooking. The safe internal temperature for chicken breasts is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Feel free to use a grilling thermometer to check the internal temperature. The next step is to let the chicken rest. I find that the best way to keep grilled meats nice and tender is to let them rest before cutting into them. Let the chicken hang out for 5 minutes before serving.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Serving Suggestions
To make this a full meal I served it up with some asparagus and couscous. Asparagus is the perfect vegetable for grilling but any vegetable will work. Add some couscous (or side of choice) to a plate and top it with the grilled chicken. Add a heaping amount of the bruschetta on top of the chicken and a grilled vegetable alongside it. Feel free to add some cheese to the chicken while it’s grilling or top the whole thing with Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Grilled Bruschetta Chicken with some more basil. Grilling doesn’t get any better than this!
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These Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Breasts make a fast, easy, and healthy meal! The chicken breasts are marinated and grilled until tender and then topped with a bright and flavorful Italian-style tomato bruschetta.
- 1 - 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 1/4 tsp. rosemary
- pinch salt and pepper
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- pinch salt and pepper
- cheese or Parmesan cheese optional
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Mince 2 cloves garlic. Add the garlic, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 4 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. rosemary and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to a small bowl. Mix until combined.
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Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Make sure all of the chicken is coated in the marinade. Place the bowl in the fridge and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
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Mince 4 cloves of garlic and dice 4 large tomatoes. Mince 1/3 cup of fresh basil.
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Place the diced tomatoes, garlic, and basil into a bowl along with 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined. Set aside.
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Heat an outdoor grill or heat an indoor grill pan to slightly more than medium. Wait until the pan gets hot before adding the chicken (the chicken should sizzle as it hits the pan or grill).
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Add the chicken to the pan or grill. Grill for about 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the chicken breasts over and grill for another 4-5 minutes. (Place the chicken over direct heat if using an outdoor grill and then move to a more indirect heat). The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be checked with a grilling thermometer.
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Remove the chicken breasts from heat and allow to rest before serving. This keeps them moist and juicy.
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Serve the chicken alongside something like couscous and a grilled vegetable. Top the chicken with a generous portion of brushetta and some additional basil.
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Optional: Add cheese to the chicken as it's grilling or top the whole dish with Parmesan cheese.
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