In this Pesto Chicken Bruschetta thin crispy chicken is topped with fresh juicy tomato bruschetta and drizzled with an herby green pesto. It is super fresh, delicious, and perfect for warm spring and summer nights.
1small clovegarlic, sliced down the middle inner stem removed, and minced
1small handfulfresh basil leaves, minced
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1tablespoonbalsamic vinegar
salt to taste
Pesto (store bought or homemade, recipe follows)
4cupsfresh basil leaves, packed, roughly choppedapproximately 5 oz
1cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese
1+cupgood quality extra virgin olive oil
1clovegarlic, sliced down the middle inner stem removed, and minced
¼cuppine nuts, minced, optional
5-10crankssalt
Crispy Chicken
3cupspanko
½cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese
½teaspoonsalt
3largeeggs
1lbchicken breast
2+tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Bruschetta Topping
Place the diced tomatoes in a shallow Tupperware or dish and add the garlic, minced basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a few cracks of salt to taste. Stir to combine. Cover, place in the fridge and let marinade while you prepare the chicken.
Pesto
Add the basil, parmesan cheese, 1 cup olive oil, salt, garlic and pine nuts if using, to a blender. Blend on low speed until it forms a smooth sauce. Add additional olive oil up to ½ cup if needed.
Crispy Chicken
In a shallow square baking dish combine the panko, parmesan, and salt.
In a separate shallow baking dish whisk the eggs.
Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, and then in half again so that you have 4 thin pieces. Place on a cutting board and cover with a large sheet of parchment or wax paper. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the meat so that it is thin, but not too thin.
Bring a large sauté pan to just below medium heat (think 4 out of 10). Add 2 tbsps olive oil and allow to warm through for 1 minute.
Dip the chicken in the egg, then the panko. Press the panko firmly into the chicken with your fingers on each side.
Working in batches, place the chicken in the sauté pan and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Check to see that the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook on the other side for 2 more minutes. Do not over crowd the pan. Add olive oil as you go so that the bottom of the pan is always covered in a thin layer of olive oil.
Place paper towels under a cookie drying rack. Remove the chicken from the pan when it is brown and crispy on both sides and put it on the drying rack while working on the remaining batches. This allows the excess olive oil to drip on to the paper towels below, but keeps the bottom of the chicken crispy rather than soggy.
To Assemble
Place the chicken on a large serving platter and top with bruschetta and a drizzle of basil pesto. Or alternatively serve the chicken, bruschetta, and pesto separately so that individuals can assemble their own toppings. If adding the bruschetta on top of the crispy chicken on a serving platter (which looks really pretty), serve immediately or the juice from the bruschetta will start to make the breading on the chicken soggy.
Notes
Tips for Flavorful Extra Crispy Chicken
Add Freshly Grated Parmesan To The Panko: This adds more savoriness and flavor to the breading. In this recipe, it's just a ½ cup. I would highly recommend buying a wedge of parmesan and grating it yourself. It tastes better and you avoid consuming the anti-caking agents that are in the pre-grated version. I love the parmesan at Trader Joe's because it is not too expensive and the flavor is not too intense.
Press The Panko Into The Chicken: Second, when coating the chicken pieces in the panko I press the panko firmly into each side of the sliced and tenderized chicken breast, adding more panko and pressing more when needed.
Use extra virgin olive oil in the pan: add additional oil as needed to have a thin coat of oil on the bottom. When using olive oil be careful not to have the pan too hot or it will start to smoke. Using extra virgin olive oil instead of an oil like vegetable oil adds additional flavor to the breading and the chicken.
Place the crispy chicken on a cookie drying rack: When removing the chicken from the plan place it on a drying rack with a layer of paper towels underneath. This prevents the chicken from getting soggy on the bottom while you are working on the remaining batches of chicken, resulting in crispier, crunchier chicken. You can even bring it to the table served on the drying rack.