Grilled Chicken Bruschetta with Balsamic Noodles

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Grilled Chicken Bruschetta with Balsamic Noodles

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta is a summer favorite in my home. I enjoy making it because it’s easy to prepare and requires minimal cleanup, plus my family loves its vibrant flavors and Italian summer vibe. The bright, hearty tastes of fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil, paired with the buttery, lightly glazed balsamic noodles, will definitely be your new summer craving.

Let’s talk Bruschetta

Bruschetta is believed to have originated in Rome, Italy, during the 15th century. It is an antipasto (appetizer), with “antipasto” literally translating to “before the meal.” Traditionally, bruschetta is served on grilled bread that has been rubbed with garlic, then topped with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Fun fact: Most people think bruschetta refers to the tomato topping, but it refers to the toasted bread. However, since many identify it with the tomato topping, that’s what we’ll use in this recipe. While there are many variations of bruschetta, I consider myself a purist. I do enjoy some variations that include red onion or mozzarella, but there is something rustic and satisfying about the classic combination of tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar that I can’t resist. Any variation can work for this dish—it’s your kitchen, so feel free to make the version you like best!

Ensuring your chicken is fully cooked

Cooking times for chicken breasts can vary based on their size, but they should generally be fully cooked in about 10 to 15 minutes. To ensure they are safe to eat, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If you are grilling a larger piece of chicken and it begins to char too much, move it to the cooler side of the grill until it reaches the proper temperature. This will help prevent the outside from burning.

Note: Chicken must be cooked to the proper temperature to kill harmful bacteria such as Salmonella. Make sure to wash your hands after handling any raw meat, especially chicken. It can carry nasty bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter that might make you sick. Giving your hands a good scrub helps keep those germs from spreading to other foods, surfaces, or yourself, which lowers the chances of food poisoning.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

Olive oil for drizzling on the chicken

6 Roma tomatoes (I like to use Campari sometimes)

4-6 basil leaves (depending on their size; if smaller, I have used up to 8 – this is really up to you, how basil-y do you want your bruschetta?)

5 cloves garlic (if cloves are large, you may only want to use 2-3)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

For Balsamic Noodles:

1 lb of dried spaghetti noodles (or any noodle of your choice)

4 tbsp butter

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp agave (you could also do a tbsp of brown sugar)

1/2 ball of mozzarella, diced (I like to buy the pre-sliced mozzarella and I will use about four slices of that. You can also use the mozzarella balls, called bocconcini)

salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat your grill to medium-high. I use a pellet grill, and I set the heat to 425°F. While the grill is warming up, place a pasta pot filled with heavily salted water on the stovetop over high heat and bring it to a boil. While the grill is heating up and water comes to a boil, prepare your bruschetta and chicken breasts.
We’ll start with the bruschetta first because we want it to sit for a little while before using it. When the bruschetta rests, it enhances the flavor and allows the ingredients to marry, creating a deeper, more complex flavor profile. To start our bruschetta, slice the tomatoes in half and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds and juices inside. Place this in a small bowl to discard later. Dice the cored and seeded tomatoes and place them into a small bowl.
Stack the basil leaves and roll them into a tube shape. Using your knife, thinly slice the basil leaves into ribbons and add them to your bowl of diced tomatoes. Next, finely mince your garlic and add it to the bruschetta bowl. You can also use a garlic press for this step.
Add your balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and gently stir all ingredients to mix. Put the bruschetta into the fridge until we’re ready to use it.
Let’s turn our attention to the chicken. Trim any excess fat and connective tissues off the chicken breasts. Lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and season well with salt, fresh cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on both sides. When the grill has come to temperature, place the chicken breasts on and let them cook for 5-8 minutes. If the chicken lifts easily from the grill, it’s ready to turn. If it’s still sticking a bit, wait another minute before flipping.
While the chicken is cooking, let’s turn our attention to the balsamic noodles. Drop your dried pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Melt your butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, remove from the heat.
While butter is melting, add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan over low-med heat with garlic and agave (or brown sugar). Bring it to a simmer. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often. It will become darker and thicker.
Add butter to the pan with balsamic glaze and whisk together. *Don’t forget about checking on your chicken while working on other dishes to complete the meal. I like to set a kitchen timer each time I flip the chicken so I don’t forget it*
Drain pasta noodles, return to pasta pot – ensure it is off the heat. Pour balsamic butter glaze over the top of the noodles and add diced mozzarella. Mix with tongs to coat.
By this time, your chicken should be done. Add your balsamic noodles to the bottom of a plate, place a chicken breast on top of the noodles and grab your bruschetta out of the fridge to spoon out over the top of the chicken. You can ribbon-cut some additional basil for an even fresher look if you want. Serve immediately.