Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

This Grilled Bruschetta Chicken is fresh and light. It features basil balsamic marinated chicken topped with a juicy tomato bruschetta. The perfect summer meal!

This grilled chicken recipe and post was originally written by former contributor Emily of One Lovely Life. It has been updated from the archives to include additional information.

Making this Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

I’ve been thinking so much lately about getting back to family meals with intention, reclaiming the kitchen, and making the evening meal a priority.

Our focus has been on creating and serving meals for our little family that we all eat in one way or another. With varying schedules and somewhat unpredictable toddler palates on our hands, this can sometimes prove a difficult task.

I’ve been taking things bit by bit, one small task at a time, and it’s made the idea of creating an “institution” of family dinner so much easier.

I try to find ways to continue to expand our exposure to new and exciting flavors while providing some consistency and predictability with meal time.

One way I do this is by always ensuring there is at least one (usually two) things on the table that everyone likes.

I know that everyone will have something to eat, and even if we have to handle parts of the meal a bit differently (like serving this pasta sauce on the side instead of mixed in with the noodles), we are eating the same meal.

Why We Love this Bruschetta Chicken Recipe

This Bruschetta Chicken is a great example of this idea in action. I built upon a foundation I knew was safe (grilled chicken) and added a new taste twist (the tomato-basil bruschetta topping).

For my little ones, I served the chicken cut up into pieces, and the tomato-basil topping on the side. One child tried dipping their chicken into the “salsa,” the other left it on her plate.

My husband and I enjoyed the dish as a cohesive whole, and everyone was happy. We all ate (or at least tolerated) the same meal, and had dinner as a family. Mission accomplished!

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Kitchen Tools for Grilled Chicken with Bruschetta

You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this recipe for delicious bruschetta chicken. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

• Measuring Cups and Spoons: to measure the ingredients for the basil balsamic chicken marinade.
• Knife Block Set: If you don’t own good quality knives, you’re making your life harder. I use these knives every time I cook, they’re great.
• Cutting Board: For chopping the homemade bruschetta ingredients.
• Gas Grill: This is the grill we use and we love it!
• Meat Thermometer: To check the chicken’s doneness.
• Grill Tongs: to remove the grilled chicken from the grill grates after cooking.

What’s in this Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

This delicious dinner might look like it has a long ingredient list, but the ingredients are all fairly simple.

Plus, I’ll be sharing several meal prep and make ahead tips later in the post that help make this a somewhat easy summer dinner. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

For the Chicken Bruschetta Marinade

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Honey
• Dijion Mustard
• Fresh Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Dried Basil
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Fresh Bruschetta Topping

• Ripe, Fresh Tomatoes
• Kosher Salt
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Balsamic Vinegar

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken Garnishes

• Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic Reduction
• Grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Basil Leaves

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this summer time grilled chicken recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Below is just a brief overview of how the grilled chicken bruschetta is made:

1. Make the basil balsamic chicken marinade:  Combine the marinade ingredients in a glass measuring cup.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a nonmetal bowl or Ziploc bag. Pour the balsamic chicken marinade over top and marinate.
3. To prepare the tomato bruschetta recipe:  Chop and salt the tomatoes. While the tomatoes drain, prepare the rest of the bruschetta ingredients. Then, stir all together.
4. Grill the chicken: Drain the chicken and dispose of marinade. Grill chicken, over medium heat, until the temperature reaches 160 – 165 degrees F.
5. Slice chicken at a diagonal, scoop bruschetta mixture on top of the chicken. 

The above is simply a quick summary of this tasty meal. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Meal Prep Tips for Chicken with Bruschetta

Check out these make ahead tips to help you get this delicious bruschetta chicken recipe on the dinner table faster:

• The juicy tomato bruschetta can be made up to a day in advance, though we prefer it made just a few hours ahead of time.
• The bruschetta chicken marinade can be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator (with the raw chicken in it).
• For longer storage, prepare the marinade ahead of time. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag with the raw chicken. Freeze until 3 days before serving. Transfer to refrigerator and let thaw. This is perfect for busy weeknights! 

Katie’s Tip: I love to make a double batch of chicken and marinade when I prepare this recipe, one for the current week and another to stash in the freezer for an easy dinner later.

Tips for the Best Grilled Bruschetta Chicken 

Want this grilled chicken with bruschetta to turn out perfectly? Here are my best pro-tips to keep in mind when preparing it:

Prepping this Balsamic Grilled Chicken:

• If the chicken is significantly thicker on one end than the other, using a meat mallet is the perfect way to even the meat out a bit so the chicken cooks more evenly.
• Marinate the raw chicken at least 8 hours, or up to 48 for maximum flavor.

Cooking the Marinated Chicken:

• Heat grill in advance. You want the grill nice and hot before you put the balsamic marinated chicken on.
• Pat the chicken dry and then lightly brush with oil before grilling. You’ll get better grill marks if the chicken isn’t wet from the marinade.
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. The grilled chicken is done when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 – 165 degrees F at the thickest portion.

Serving the Grilled Chicken Bruschetta:

• For best results, let the cooked chicken rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Cut the chicken against the grain and at a diagonal. Cutting against the grain provides more tender bites of chicken. Cutting it at a diagonal makes a pretty presentation.
• Add the bruschetta topping over the chicken slices, then add a drizzle of balsamic glaze for extra flavor.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

​How can I make chicken bruschetta if I don’t have a grill?

If you don’t have a gas or charcoal grill, you can cook the marinated chicken stove top by using a hot grill pan over medium-high heat.

We like this griddle sized cast iron grill pan because you can fit several chicken breasts on at once.

What are the best tomatoes to use?

Tomatoes with more “meat” and fewer seeds, are best used to make this bruschetta chicken. Specific names include: Roma Tomatoes, Paste Tomatoes, Sauce Tomatoes, or San Marzano Tomatoes. Cherry and grape tomatoes also work well.

We grow tomatoes in our garden during the summer months and love to make this recipe using Cherokee Purple Tomatoes, though you don’t typically find those in your local grocery store.

We have even made this with a tomato mixture using whatever garden tomatoes we have that are currently ripe.

Can I use a different meat in this recipe?

I have made this recipe using chicken thighs and skirt steak. You could probably also use pork tenderloin and flank steak with good results.

Just note that the cooking time of different types of meat will vary based on safe doneness temperatures for eat variety of meat. 

What should I serve with Grilled Chicken Bruschetta?

This bruschetta chicken is very versatile. Here are some of the things we like to serve along side it:

• For side dish ideas – serve it with pesto and pasta, roasted potatoes, pasta with alfredo sauce, garlic bread.
• For vegetables – add an Italian Mixed Greens Salad, Caesar Salad, sautéd green beans, roasted broccoli, or grilled zucchini.

What should I do with leftover grilled bruschetta chicken?

Store the leftover grilled chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container. In a separate container, store the bruschetta topping. Consume leftovers within 3 days.

Try this Grilled Bruschetta Chicken at Home!

Next time you’re looking for the perfect summer meal for grilling season, give this Chicken Bruschetta Recipe a try!

Did you love the fresh flavors? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this chicken dish.

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More Grilled Chicken Recipes

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken is a perfect easy summer grilled chicken recipe. The chicken tenderloins are marinated in a sweet and savory honey mustard sauce with sprigs of fresh rosemary and lemon juice, then quickly cooked on a hot grill. So good!

Chicken is flavored with a simple Caribbean chicken marinade, then grilled to perfection before being topped with pineapple salsa. This Pineapple Salsa Chicken is easy to make and delicious meal for summertime!

Juicy, flavorful Grilled Greek Chicken is easy to achieve with this marinade! Greek chicken marinade comes together quickly with homemade Greek seasoning, yogurt, and a few more choice ingredients. 

This recipe for Grilled Chicken Kebabs is delicious and easy to make! Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken is skewered with veggies and grilled to perfection. 

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

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How are you making family dinner work for your family? Any tips or suggestions?