Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Bowl
- Hydroponic Planter Totally optional, I just wanted to share how we always have fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1/2 Whole Tomatoes Any type works. Roma is best.
- 6-10 Fresh Basil Leaves Dried Basil works in a jam.
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil Divided
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Divided
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- Balsamic Glaze
- 3 Garlic Cloves Jar garlic works too but fresh garlic is definitely makes it pop.
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Log
Instructions
For the Bruschetta Tomato Topping
- Wash and cut tomatoes into tiny chunks. Any type of tomatoes will work for this, roma is the best option but we only had beefsteak so that's what we used.
- Mince fresh garlic cloves and add to the bowl of tomatoes. Fresh is definitely best in this recipe but jarred garlic will work in a pinch.
- Stack and cut basil leaves. I like to do little strips, also called chiffonade. Add to the bowl of garlic and tomatoes.
- Add 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar, saving the other tbsp. for later.
- Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, saving the other tbsp. for later.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. About 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
- Add 1/2 tsp. of balsamic glaze. This is optional, but I think it brings all the flavors together and gives it an extra little sweetness.
- Mix all ingredients and place in the fridge for later. Letting it sit will help the flavors meld together.
Chicken
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Trim chicken breast to remove any extra fatty pieces. I cut the chicken in half and pounded them so they would cook evenly. You can leave them whole if you'd like but the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
- On a sheet pan, use the additional olive oil to lightly coat both sides of the chicken breast.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on both sides of the oiled chicken breasts.
- This step is optional, but I sprinkled a few drops of balsamic vinegar on each breast and rubbed it in. Don't over-do this step, just a drop or two goes a long way.
- Place seasoned chicken in your 350 degree oven and bake for about 10-13 minutes until it's fully cooked.
- While the chicken is cooking you can slice your mozzarella cheese. If you bought the pre-sliced roll, like I did, then you're all set.
- Once chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees you can pull it out of the oven. My chicken had a ton of juice so I poured some of the extra off the pan. You don't want it completely dry but too much liquid makes the next step soggy.
- Place 2-3 slices of the mozzarella cheese on each piece of cooked chicken. If you want this dairy free you will just skip this step.
- Place chicken with cheese back into the 350 degree oven and bake until it's melted nicely. About 3 minutes for us, it could vary based on your oven and the temp or thickness of your cheese.
- Once the cheese has melted nicely you pull it out of the oven and plate quickly. Top it with the tomato mixture and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the top.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!