Chicken Bruschetta

Serves 4

Ingredients

Tomato Salad

  • 2 cloves garlic (don’t over do it, it’s going in raw)

  • Pint of cherry tomatoes

  • Fresh Basil

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons balsamic glaze

  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Chicken

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

  • 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 4 ounces sliced low-moisture mozzarella cheese (4 slices)

Instructions

  • Finely grate 2 of the garlic cloves into a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper. Whisk to combine.

  • Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours (or more).

  • Meanwhile, finely grate the remaining 2 garlic cloves into a medium bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of the balsamic glaze and the remaining 1 tablespoons olive oil. Salt & pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.

  • Quarter pint of cherry tomatoes. Pick the leaves from 4 fresh basil sprigs until you have about 1/4 cup and coarsely chop. Add both to the dressing and toss to combine.

  • Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken in a single layer, shaking off any excess marinade back into the bowl. Sear until browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and registers at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 7 more minutes.

  • Top the chicken evenly with sliced low-moisture mozzarella cheese, overlapping the slices as needed. Cover and cook until the mozzarella is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the tomato mixture, including the juices, evenly over the chicken, allowing some tomatoes to fall to the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons balsamic glaze and remove the pan from the heat. Garnish with more chopped basil leaves if desired.