Name: Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 lb roma tomatoes, diced (5-6 tomatoes); ½ cup red onion, small dice; ½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; red pepper flakes, to taste (optional; I used about ⅛ teaspoon); 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (four 8-ounce breasts); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; Fresh basil leaves; Italian bread, sliced and toasted (see notes for toasting instructions)

Bruschetta Chicken Bake is an easy summer meal. Made with a flavourful, fresh tomato topping and a generous amount of parmesan cheese, your family will love this chicken dinner!

If you have a pressure cooker, you might also like my Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake in a white casserole dish garnished with fresh basil leaves, viewed from overhead.

We love this chicken bake in the summer, when tomatoes and basil are plentiful. It couldn’t be easier to put together. Just mix up the bruschetta topping, layer it on top of the chicken, top with cheese and bake! I highly recommend a nice green salad and toasty bread on the side. Skip the bread if you’re looking for a low carb option!

Ingredients

Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for full details!

For the bruschetta topping

Roma tomatoes – or plum tomatoes (Roma is a variety of plum). You can use whatever tomatoes you have on hand, but this variety is a nice choice because it has relatively fewer seeds.
Red onion – small dice
Fresh basil – chiffonade (thinly sliced). See my tip below for how to do this easily!
Olive oil
Garlic
Lemon juice – freshly squeezed; adds brightness and acidity.
Kosher salt and black pepper
Red pepper flakes – for a bit of heat

For the chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Four 8-ounce breasts; you can use smaller breasts but you may want to reduce the cook time slightly.
Kosher salt and black pepper – to season the chicken
Italian seasoning – for additional flavour
Parmesan cheese – finely grated; you could also use a half cup to full cup of shredded mozzarella, if you prefer a “meltier” cheese.

Ingredients needed to make Bruschetta Chicken Bake viewed from overhead.

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the bruschetta topping.

Bruschetta topping in a white bowl with a white spatula, being held by hands, viewed from overhead.

In a 9×13 casserole dish, space out the chicken breasts evenly, then season with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Evenly divide the bruschetta topping, then cheese, over each of the chicken breasts.

Chicken with bruschetta topping in a white casserole dish on the left, with the same dish topped with cheese on the right.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 °F. Garnish with more fresh basil leaves and serve with toasted Italian bread.

How to chiffonade basil leaves

Stack leaves face down on a cutting board.
Roll up the stack as if you were rolling up a piece of paper.
Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the roll.
Pull apart the slices into pretty ribbons!

A closeup of bruschetta chicken garnished with basil leaves in a white casserole dish.

How to toast Italian bread in the oven

Preheat oven to 450 °F (I turn up the oven after removing the chicken).
Slice loaf into half-inch pieces.
Brush one side of each piece with olive oil (a pastry brush is helpful for this).
Place oil side down on a baking sheet.
Toast for 5 minutes on the top rack of the oven, or until turning golden brown around the edges.

Tips for Success

Remove extra seeds from the tomatoes. You don’t need to remove all the seeds from the tomatoes, but if they easily separate as you are dicing, just leave them out of the bruschetta mixture. This will give the topping a more pleasing texture.

Pound the chicken. If your chicken breasts are much thicker on one side, you can flatten the thicker side (we do this in a freezer bag, using a rolling pin). This will ensure more even cooking.

Don’t overcook the chicken. If you’re using smaller chicken breasts (5-6 ounces) start checking for doneness around 30 minutes. Chicken is done cooking when the middle of the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F.

Bruschetta Chicken on a white plate served with spring greens and toasted bread, viewed from overhead.

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