Bruschetta Chicken
You all know how much I love the spring and summer produce. I can’t wait for those amazing stone fruits to make an appearance. Then from April through at least September I cook with them constantly. While I can’t get enough of all those peaches and plums, they’re not the only produce I look forward to. I also look forward to the heirloom tomatoes.
Oh my God! Those tomatoes are amazing! All the different colors and flavors. It’s a rainbow of spectacularness. Is that a word? I don’t know and I don’t care. They are spectacular. There are red ones (of course), but there are also yellow and orange, there are green (yes, green) and even rainbow ones. And they range the gamut of flavors from strong tomato acid to super sweet like candy. These are the tomatoes I wait all year for, and once they show up, I buy tons! I use them to make Greek salads, gooey grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, chili, tomato sauce, even bloody marys. They make every recipe better. Seriously! I no longer buy the tomatoes in the grocery store unless I’m really, really desperate. The heirloom tomatoes are that good!
But even with all these options, there’s one heirloom tomato recipe that’s my absolute favorite: the classic Tomato Bruschetta. While ordinary Bruschetta made with tomatoes from the grocery store is fine, bruschetta made with farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes are several steps above. Like Amy Adams in the wonderful movie, Julie & Julia, I could eat (and have) bruschetta as my main course every day and be totally happy. I’d be fat, but I’d be very happy.
Anyway, since I love Bruschetta so much, I realized why limit it to just bread? Why couldn’t you smother it on meat or fish or pasta? Who says bruschetta has to be served on bread and nothing else? Certainly not me! So I grabbed some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and created one of my new favorite summer meals. This is so easy and sooooo good I’m pretty sure I’ll be eating it the whole summer.
As with all my dishes you can add or take away what you want. There’s some freshly grated Parmesan in the breading, but if you don’t like cheese, leave it out. And while I served it over pasta, you absolutely don’t have to. You could make just the chicken and serve it with a simple green salad or a side of couscous and be totally happy. I mean, it’s breaded chicken covered with a bright, fresh Bruschetta topping. What’s not to love?
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1-1/2 cups panko
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
- 4 chicken cutlets
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 4 large heirloom tomatoes, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 cup dry white wine, like chardonnay
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the flour in one bowl. Place the beaten eggs in another bowl. In a third large bowl, combine the panko, Parmesan and Herbs de Provence and set aside.
- Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, half the minced garlic and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Sprinkle each chicken cutlet with salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, letting the excess drip off and finally in the panko mixture, pressing down to make sure the panko sticks all over the chicken.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package for 1 minute less than called for. Drain, reserving a 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until breading is crisp and golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- While the chicken cooks, heat remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovy paste, lemon zest and remaining garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute than whisk in the white wine. Stir in lemon juice and butter. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat.
- Divide pasta among 4 plates. Top with the breaded chicken, spoon tomato mixture over the chicken and serve.
