Chicken Bruschetta Casserole (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy chicken baked with fresh tomato basil topping and melted cheese for a comforting Italian-inspired dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Bruschetta Topping
06 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Casserole Assembly
14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 cup dried Italian bread cubes or gluten-free bread cubes
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Rub each breast with olive oil, then season evenly with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, minced garlic, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently until well combined.
04 - Spoon the bruschetta mixture evenly over the seasoned chicken breasts. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the top, then scatter the bread cubes across the surface. For a gluten-free version, substitute with gluten-free bread cubes.
05 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese topping is golden brown and bubbly.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired, then serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It gives you every bright, garlicky flavor of bruschetta without standing over a hot pan toasting bread one by one.
- The chicken comes out incredibly juicy because the tomato topping keeps it from drying out in the oven.
02 -
- Do not skip the five minute rest because cutting in too early sends all those delicious juices running across the cutting board instead of staying in the chicken.
- Toasting the bread cubes in a little olive oil before scattering them on top takes this from great to unforgettable with almost no extra effort.
03 -
- Use the freshest basil you can find and add it at the very last second to the topping mixture because wilted basil tastes like disappointment.
- A glass of crisp Pinot Grigio beside this dish makes an ordinary Tuesday feel like a dinner you planned for a week.