Recipe: Bruschetta Grilled Chicken
(But there's mozzarella, so should it really be called caprese chicken?)
When you’ve always got a pile of tomatoes ripening on the counter, you develop a slew of go-to recipes to make the most of them.
This one is a knock-off of (…or rather, a “grown up” version of) a recipe my family made when I was a teen that arrived in a Kraft circular promoting a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette… or something like that.
The original called for marinating chicken breast in the dressing and then grilling and topping with a mixture of Kraft low-moisture mozzarella, fresh basil and diced tomatoes.
It was delicious enough that way to become a Sellers family favorite in the summer.
But I can’t ever leave well-enough alone :)
Here’s MY version, which we still call “bruschetta chicken” even though the mozzarella in it definitely seems more caprese-esque.
Bruschetta Chicken
INGREDIENTS
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast
Kosher salt
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves, smashed with skins on
Red pepper flake
1-2 bunches fresh basil
Tomatoes (diced or just halved if using small ones)
Mozzarella (low-moisture melts better, but I like how fresh mozzarella does on the grill)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
METHOD
At least 3-4 hours before you plan to grill, salt the chicken. Be generous.
About an hour before grill-time, marinate the chicken in roughly equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil—enough to coat. Toss in the smashed garlic cloves, a few sprigs of basil, and red pepper flake to your liking.
Meanwhile, mix up the topping: tomatoes, mozzarella, torn basil leaves, garlic powder, a pinch of salt, and pepper to taste.
Heat your grill. Take the chicken out of the marinate and let excess drip off. Grill on the first side.
Place a piece of heavy duty tin foil on the grill and flip the chicken over, setting on top of the foil to cook on their second side. Top the already grilled side with the tomato/mozzarella topping. Make sure to close the lid to ensure the cheese melts.
When the chicken is done, slide the whole piece of foil off the grill onto a serving tray or large cutting board. You don’t want to lose those tomato juices! Have some crusty bread on hand for sopping up the extra tomatoes and cheese.