Skillet Bruschetta Chicken

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It’s that in-between time. The calendar says fall, but the weather says otherwise. You yearn to make soup and bake bread, but it’s pretty hard to eat cozy when it’s still 80 degrees outside. You know the drill here, folks. We haven’t seen the last of the warm weather just yet. 

When it’s cool enough for a sweater, go ahead and slow cook to your heart’s content. But on a sunny day, you need a sunny meal. This Skillet Chicken Bruschetta is what to serve when it still seems like summer. Topped with sweet, juicy cherry tomatoes and fragrant fresh basil, it’s perfect for this back-and-forth time.

On busy weeknights, short cut any place you can. I didn’t mess with measuring and with an easy recipe like this one, you can safely get away with that. Grab your olive oil bottle and give your tomatoes a good drizzle, add a pinch of salt and a quick grind of black pepper, then give everything a splash of red wine vinegar. I used garlic powder in place of fresh garlic, too, to also speed things along. If it’s faster for you, skip chopping the basil and just tear it. 

If you have a large cast iron skillet, it’s perfect for this recipe. Using it means you’ll get a quick sear on your chicken and get it nicely brown, yielding juicy, flavorful results every time. Drizzle olive oil into your pan, enough to coat the bottom when you swirl it around. You can measure if you like, but I have found that this is usually what two to three tablespoons looks like. Once your pan is hot, add your chicken, letting it cook undisturbed until it’s golden brown, which is about 3 minutes. 

Chicken cutlets are just chicken breast that has been cut lengthwise. You can find them readily available at most grocery stores, or you can start with whole boneless, skinless breasts and trim them yourself. One of the primary advantages of chicken cutlets is their thinness, which translates into rapid cooking times, making them a much speedier alternative to whole breasts. 

Vary it up by using grilled chicken. I like using chicken tenderloins for this, and while you can give them a quick seasoning as below, I recommend marinating them instead, which helps to keep chicken juicy when grilling. Combine 1/3 cup olive oil, a little lemon zest, the juice from half of a lemon, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper in a resealable bag. Mix everything together, then add your chicken, moving everything around in the bag so that it distributes evenly. Marinate for 5-6 hours if you can, or up to 8 hours. You can also use breaded cutlets or chicken fingers. Also, try using sliced provolone. It adds even more flavor.

Keep your short sleeve shirt on while you can. Next week, we go full on pumpkin. 

Skillet Bruschetta Chicken

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish (optional)
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, plus more for seasoning 
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets
• 4 (1-ounce) slices part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 4 teaspoons balsamic glaze

Place tomatoes in a small bowl; add 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallot, basil, vinegar, and garlic or garlic powder. Season with a pinch of salt and a quick grind of black pepper; toss to combine. 

Pat chicken dry using paper towels. Season with garlic powder, sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. 

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlets and top each with a cheese slice. Cover pan with a lid or baking sheet; cook until cheese is melted and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165º F, about 1 minute, 30 seconds. 

Transfer chicken to individual plates or a platter. Top with tomato mixture and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.  

-adapted from eatingwell.com