Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Our tomatoes aren’t quite ripe yet.  Every day I go out and water the big green plants with prayers and pleading.  In the meantime, my father-in-law has given me tomatoes to tide me over until mine come through.  C’mon , little buddies.  Ripen!

                Food is miraculous. Tomatoes are the only vegetable (fruit?) that we grow in our tiny yard, so the miracle unfolds in front us under the spray of our water hose.   I buy my tomato plants in the plant stage because I have no green phalanges.  The way they start out as little plants, stretch up through their inadequate cages, and push out tomatoes bursting with the flavors of summer – it all makes me pause in admiration and gratitude. 

                The wonder continues – in dishes like the heirloom tomato salad Molly Wizenberg describes in the fourth paragraph of her post here.  Or roasted and served along a flakey piece ofperfectly seasoned fish.  We’ve been celebrating with fresh produce at my house recently.

                I’ve always liked the idea of bruschetta chicken.  After all, I like bruschetta, and I like chicken.  But the few times I’ve tried it, I’ve been disappointed.  Let’s face it.  No matter how succulent your chicken or tender your pasta – they just aren’t the same thing as a toasted baguette.  Period.  But with these promising tomatoes at my disposal, I gave it another go.

                I’m not going to lead you astray.  I didn’t magically make chicken taste like a chicken-flavored baguette.  Not yet, anyway.  But as far as bruschetta chicken goes, it was what I wanted.  Grilling gave it some deeper flavor – but cooking it on the stove would work just fine  It’s a compilation of at least four other recipes and something I read in a William-Sonoma catalog, so I’m just going to call it mine.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise (I use Trader Joe’s sugar-free mayonnaise.  Like sugar is the problem with mayonnaise).

Bosari seasoned salt (or salt and pepper to taste)

Six thin slices of mozzarella – if you are like me, you have plenty of this in the fridge from when you get caprese salad cravings.

1 ripe tomato

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

¼ lb angel hair pasta

1/8 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Salt

Tomato:

Mince garlic and add to bowl with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Chop tomato and basil.  Add to olive oil mixture and stir to mix.  Let sit at room temp while the chicken cooks.

Chicken:

With a mallet (or a rolling pin if your kitchen needs help like mine does) flatten chicken breasts until ¼ inch thick.  Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on both sides of the chicken.  Season with Bosari or salt and pepper.  Over medium heat (350) grill chicken until cooked through (10 minutes on each side for me; so much depends on your grill; just make sure it’s cooked!).  In the last three minutes of cooking time, top the chicken with mozzarella and cook covered until cheese is melted. 

Pasta:

In a pot of salted water, cook pasta for 3-4 minutes.  Drain and coat with olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.

Serve by placing one chicken on half the pasta.  Top with half the tomato mixture.

If the internet is any indication, tomatoes are currently an epidemic.  How are you enjoying yours?