2013 – Gluten Free Living

Baked Chicken Bruschetta is a marvelous entree your whole family will love. It’s not too difficult to make and it’s made with wholesome ingredients. It tastes succulent and amazing. It’s perfect for special occasions like Easter, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. It’s also terrific for regular family meals. Especially when you want to spoil your family with a fantastic chicken entree.

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First, the chicken is marinated in a sun-dried tomato and garlic vinaigrette-type salad dressing. It can be marinated for 24-48 hours. (That’s what makes the chicken so moist). Then the chicken is baked with the marinade. While it’s cooking make up a quick homemade bruschetta. It consists of tomatoes, roasted garlic, basil, sun-dried tomato salad dressing, mozzarella cheese, and salt and pepper (if desired). Once the chicken is finished baking, slather the bruschetta on each chicken breast. Bake about 5-10 minutes longer until the mozzarella cheese melts a little. Oh, my, this chicken is heavenly!

I was looking all over Pinterest last week for a Chicken Bruschetta recipe. I wanted the bruschetta was actually cooked on top of the chicken. Not merely applied cold to the chicken. I also wanted the chicken baked rather than grilled. The recipe I found here actually grilled the chicken. But then it was put in the oven to bake the bruschetta topping.

I decided to simplify the recipe and bake the chicken as well as bake the topping on it afterwards. We were really pleased with the way this recipe turned out. Fresh basil and real roasted garlic really makes this chicken entree flavorful. Mozzarella cheese, as always, adds that delicate savory touch. This recipe turned out quite succulent and delectable.

Those of you who follow my blog know how much I love tomatoes. I can’t get enough of them. I would eat tomato sauces or tomatoes cooked in something almost every day! For those of you who have a bumper crop of tomatoes, this is a great way to consider using them up. The nice thing about tomatoes is that you can pretty much get them year round. They certainly don’t look near as bad in the grocery stores in winter months like they used to about 20-30 years ago!

For those of you who like bruschetta on toasted artisan breads, you will love it on chicken as well. Another thing I liked about this recipe is it’s pretty clean and healthy. I used an organic  sun-dried tomato & garlic vinaigrette without preservatives, MSG, fillers, high fructose corn syrup or sugar. It also used wholesome products. It’s really hard finding healthy salad dressings in the grocery store these days. I found this bottle at Sprouts which is similar to Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe’s. Baked Chicken Bruschetta is also low calorie and gluten free. If you need dairy free, you can substitute vegan cheese for the mozzarella in the recipe.

This is a great tasting Chicken Bruschetta recipe. If you don’t have time to watch a grill, this recipe is so quick and easy. You marinade the chicken, then pop it in the oven to bake for about 45-60 minutes. (Depending on how thick your chicken breasts are). Afterwards, you spread the bruschetta topping over top. Then bake it a few more minutes. That’s all there is to it. This is one of the easiest recipes you can imagine. I’m sure it would be tasty on pork chops or turkey cutlets as well. The flavors of this chicken dish are amazing. Although I have to admit, I could have eaten a bowl full of the bruschetta topping alone! 🙂

I initially posted this recipe in November 2013. I recently remade the recipe (March 2019) and took a few new photos. I made this for our Friday night care group. Without exception, everyone loved the recipe. They exclaimed at how moist the chicken was and wanted the recipe! That’s always a good sign. This is one of those easy weeknight chicken recipes we can never get enough of. It’s absolutely mouthwatering. I served it with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes, Balsamic Yellow Squash Bake and Raisin Spice Bars. Everything was so yummy. 🙂

Baked Chicken Bruschetta is a wonderful, savory main dish your family will love. This entree is wonderful served with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes.

The marinated chicken is baked. Then bruschetta is piled high on top and baked again.

I really enjoyed having the bruschetta baked on the chicken rather than applied cold. I served it with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes and Balsamic Yellow Squash Bake.

The bruschetta topping is amazing. This low calorie, healthy, and gluten free meal should be on your dinner menu soon!

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients.

Marinate chicken in sun-dried tomato vinaigrette for 24-48 hours.

Spray a 9×13″ or 10×15″ glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken pieces in baking dish. Pour marinade that you marinated the chicken in, over top of the chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Large chicken breasts may take up to an hour.

While chicken is baking, roast garlic. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. (You can also bake this ahead of time or use roasted garlic from a jar).

Bake in a shallow baking dish for 30 minutes at 400. Remove from oven. Remove peels and mince garlic.

While chicken is baking prepare bruschetta topping: Dice tomatoes fine. Add basil. Add salt and pepper generously to taste. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and roasted garlic. 

Add Sun-Dried Tomato salad dressing.

Stir to combine.

Bake the chicken about 45 minutes at 400, then turn the chicken over. Because my chicken breasts were so large, I baked them about 60 minutes.

Turn chicken pieces over. Spoon the bruschetta topping over top of the chicken. 

Bake about 5-10 minutes more.

Remove the chicken to a serving plate. I served Baked Chicken Bruschetta with Butternut Squash and Pear Gratin when I made it the first time. What a delicious meal!

If you’re looking for tasty, yet lower calorie meals for your family, then consider Baked Chicken Bruschetta. It’s a very healthy recipe–especially if you find a healthy salad dressing. We loved it with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes.

Baked Chicken Bruschetta was a huge hit with our Friday night care group. They couldn’t get over how moist the chicken was. I served it with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes and Balsamic Yellow Squash Bake.

Here’s the recipe.

BAKED CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

(Recipe adapted from No Thanks To Cake!; original source: adapted from Kraft)

Baked Chicken Bruschetta is a terrific main dish that’s quite easy to put together. I really liked that I didn’t have to keep watching the grill since I had other things baking and cooking at the same time. This was so much simpler for me.

Lots of juicy tomatoes, cheese, basil and garlic, top the sumptuous marinated and baked chicken. Marinating the chicken in a sun-dried tomato salad dressing really amps up the flavors wonderfully.

If you enjoy tomatoes, this is a terrific way to use garden produce and enjoy a hearty main dish meal at the same time! We loved this dish served with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes! 

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato-Basil Sauce

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Provencal