Chicken Bruschetta Casserole (Print version)

Oven-baked chicken with fresh tomatoes, basil, and a golden cheesy topping inspired by classic Italian bruschetta.

# What goes in:

→ Chicken Base

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

→ Bruschetta Mixture

06 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Crunchy Topping

14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (gluten-free if desired)
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Cooking steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then evenly season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning blend.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, minced garlic, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss until well incorporated. Spoon the mixture evenly over each chicken breast.
04 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over the bruschetta-topped chicken.
05 - In a small bowl, toss breadcrumbs with melted butter until uniformly coated. Scatter the mixture evenly across the entire surface of the casserole.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the topping is golden brown and bubbly.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves before serving.

# Tips from flavorandfeast:

01 -
  • The crunch from the topping against juicy chicken is something special
  • Everything bakes in one pan while you pour yourself a glass of wine
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • Thin chicken breasts will dry out before the topping browns, so pound them to even thickness
  • The bruschetta mixture releases water as it bakes, which keeps the chicken juicy
  • Check the topping at 25 minutes and cover with foil if it is browning too fast
03 -
  • Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this completely gluten-free
  • Let the chicken rest for the full five minutes so the juices redistribute

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