Bruschetta Chicken

Christmas was last week, but I didn't realize how appropriate this red-and-green dinner was until just now!  Didn't plan it, it just happened… and I’m not complaining. This Bruschetta Chicken was simple, flavorful, and quick to make, not to mention healthy! Given how busy everyone is around the holidays, the timing was impeccable.

I’ve been slowly working my way through the Beachbody workout program Chalean Extreme. The premise is that you lift heavy weights, lift them slowly and with excellent form, and thus you need to do less reps. Workouts are around 35 minutes (including warm up and cool down), with a few that are longer. But I’m loving it, as in just a few short weeks, I’m lifting heavier weights (20 lb dumbbells for some upper body exercises, 30 lb dumbbells for lower body exercises) and feeling STRONG.

But I digress. So this recipe comes from the Chalean Extreme Nutrition Guidebook. Typically I find “healthy” recipes can be pretty basic and boring, but that is so not the case! This is bursting with flavor, and makes me want to try other recipes. [Editors note: I did try others. And they were equally delicious!]

So continue reading to see how easy this was to make!

First, take washed tomatoes and start dicing them into small cubes. I used Campari, although the recipe recommends Plum tomatoes (mainly because Plum tomatoes have less seeds in the middle… see pic below):

Place diced tomatoes in a bowl, and then smash your garlic. (Side note: I love smashing garlic. It’s super easy, and the best way to release all that yummy garlic spiciness. Haven’t smashed garlic before?  Remove one clove of garlic from the garlic pod, leaving the thin skin on. Take a large chef knife, and lay it flat over the top of the garlic, with the sharp edge of the blade facing away from you. Take the heel of your hand and slam it down on the knife, like you mean it.  Voila. Your garlic should have split open, and you can easily remove the paper skin and now mince your garlic with ease! See below for an example of smashed garlic)

Next, chop up some basil into tiny strips, and combine tomato, garlic and basil together. I let mine sit for 45 minutes so that all the flavors could mix together, but you don't have to wait that long. 

Then, season your chicken, and start  cooking.  I like using the chicken tender-sized pieces of chicken because they cook more quickly and are easier for me to portion out… Spray your pan with olive oil, get it nice and hot, and then place the chicken on it, cooking for 3-4 minutes each side on medium-high.

Once you place the chicken in the pan, let it be. Don’t touch it. Don’t lift it up to see if it’s cooking.  Let it sit for the 3-4 minutes and then turn it over, and it will be a lovely golden brown.

Remove chicken from heat, and plate. I served mine with a few roasted fingerling potatoes and steamed green beans spritzed with lemon, and it was gorgeous, flavor-ific, and healthy.  Lean, clean, and green (plus red) baby!

Continue reading below for the full recipe, or click here for the printable version.

Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients:

20-24oz bonesless skinless chicken breast, butterflied (I like to use the tenders)

4 tsp onion powder

4 tsp chili powder (I also added paprika and garlic powder)

4 plum tomatoes, diced

8 Tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced

4 tsp garlic, minced

4 tsp olive oil

6-8 cups steamed green beans

S&P to taste

Directions:

1. Make bruschetta salsa. Add diced tomatoes, sliced basil, and smashed/minced garlic to bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
2. Heat a grill or pan with olive oil.  Season chicken.  When pan is medium hot, add chicken and let cook 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t touch chicken, let it sit there so a nice crust forms.
3. While chicken is cooking, steam green beans.  Place trimmed green beans in a microwave safe bowl, with 1-2 TBSP of water, and cook on high for 4-5 minutes.  Or, bowl about 1 inch of water in a pot, place a steaming basket in the pot, add trimmed green beans and steam for 5 minutes until al dente.
4. Plate green beans, chicken, and top chicken with bruschetta.
5. Enjoy!