Bruschetta Chicken Salad (Printable Version)

Juicy grilled chicken with fresh tomato-basil topping over crisp mixed greens. A light and flavorful Italian-American dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Bruschetta Topping

07 - 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
08 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Salad

15 - 6 cups mixed salad greens
16 - 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese, optional
17 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Steps:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts thoroughly with olive oil, Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - While chicken grills, combine diced tomatoes, red onion, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Toss gently and allow to sit for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Arrange mixed salad greens on a large platter or individual plates. Layer sliced chicken over the greens.
06 - Spoon bruschetta topping generously over chicken. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The warm chicken against cool, bright tomatoes creates this incredible temperature contrast that wakes up your whole palate
  • Everything can be prepped ahead except the actual grilling, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining
02 -
  • Dont skip the resting time for the chicken or it will dry out the second you slice into it
  • The bruschetta topping needs at least 10 minutes to marinate, which is just enough time to grill the chicken
03 -
  • Use room temperature tomatoes for the bruschetta topping, cold ones dull all the bright flavors
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, slice them horizontally before grilling for faster more even cooking
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