Monday, September 3, 2012

September Secret Recipe Club...Featuring Chicken Bruschetta

Happy Labor Day! I hope you're enjoying a well-deserved day off from work today like I am!! Can you believe that it's time for another fun Secret Recipe Club reveal? You might be thinking that it seems like I just did an SRC reveal, and you'd be right. After a year of being part of Group C, I'm making a switch to Group A starting this month...and they have their posting on the first Monday of each month. My first assignment from Group A is Melissa from I Was Born to Cook. Melissa lives in New Jersey and is Greek and Italian, which translates to tons of great recipes to choose from. With so many wonderful options, it was hard to pick one recipe to feature. Until I found her recipe for Chicken Bruschetta.

Chicken breast, fresh mozzarella, and a zesty tomato-based bruschetta topping? Sign me up! This dish is healthy, light, and easy enough to whip up after a busy day in the office. We absolutely loved this dish! I only made a few minor tweaks to Melissa's recipe: I pan seared the chicken instead of baking it. I also added subbed in shallot for the onion and garlic she called for in the bruschetta topping...and I added a bit of some fig balsamic. Did I mention that we loved this dish?!?!?

Chicken Bruschetta
adapted from I Was Born to Cook

Step 1: Add 3 thinly sliced chicken cutlets to a mixing bowl. Add 3 grated cloves garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, the juice of one lemon, and salt & cracked black pepper to taste. Combine to evenly coat the chicken with the marinade ingredients. Refrigerate up to 3 hours...I only had 1 hour, and the chicken had a great flavor!


Step 2: Make the bruschetta topping by combining the following ingredients in a small bowl: 1 large seeded and chopped tomato, 1 small chopped shallot, 3-4 chopped basil leaves, 1 tbs. olive oil, 1 tbs. fig balsamic, and salt & cracked black pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and set aside in the fridge.


Step 3: Heat 1-2 tbs. olive oil in a non-stick skillet over med-high heat for 3 minutes. When the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium and top each piece of chicken with slices of fresh mozzarella. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted.


Step 4: Serve each piece of chicken over the starch of your choosing...I cooked some garlic-herb brown rice couscous, but orzo or penne would work well too. Spoon 1/3 of the reserved bruschetta mixture on top of each piece of chicken.


If you love bruschetta on baguette slices for an appetizer, you're going to FLIP for this dish. The lemony chicken, melted cheese, and chilled bruschetta topping work perfectly together. I can see this dish being part of my regular dinner rotation...it's simple to make, healthy, and it tastes fabulous! I hope you'll go say hello to Melissa...and then give her fabulous chicken recipe a try!




17 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Welcome to Group A :)

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  2. Welcome to Group A. This chicken looks great. I've never had bruschetta but I like everything in it so I think this would be a hit.

    Have a great day.

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    1. For a great appetizer to serve before this dish, double up on the bruschetta topping. Serve it on top of toasted thin baguette slices and sprinkle with some parm-reggiano. So good!

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  3. Looks FABU, I am saving this recipe to make very soon.

    If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my SRC entry: Fried Green Tomatoes.

    Lisa~~
    Cook Lisa Cook

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    1. This is really my kind of weeknight recipe: fast, healthy, and delicious!

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  4. This looks like everything I love and more. I can't wait to thaw out some chicken and make it.

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    1. I'm so glad that you like it...Melissa has some really fabulous recipes on her site, so go check it out!!

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  5. I love this dish. That ooey gooey mozzarella along with that fresh bruschetta looks delicious. Great SRC post, Wendy.

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  6. This looks awesome, Wendy! I can't think of a better combination than tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil...they make all things good. :)

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  7. That makes for a truly beautiful chicken dish! It looks so tasty. Great choice, and welcome to Group A! (It really is the best group of them all!)

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  8. Welcome to group A and I really like the idea of using the bruschetta on chicken. So yummy indeed.

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  9. Made this tonight for dinner...OMG so good! will have to make it again!

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    1. I'm so glad you liked it, Leslie...isn't it wonderful?!?!?

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  10. Wendy, this is a delicious and unique looking chicken dish, I would never have thought of chicken bruschetta!

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  11. This looks out of this world. Seriously - so good!

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I love hearing your feedback!!!