Classic Italian comfort food gets a healthy twist with spiralized zucchini noodles! This skillet bruschetta chicken is a fresh and simple meal with a burst of flavor, ready in just 30 minutes.
Italian-style bruschetta chicken topped with ripe tomatoes, basil, and melty mozzarella cheese is what’s on the menu for tonight. Sound good? However, I’ve been playing around with how I can take my favorite comfort food meals, and make them easy and healthier for you.
I’ve added spiralized parmesan zucchini noodles so you can chow down without the guilt, but with lots of flavors. This recipe is packed full of delicious ingredients. Fire up those pans and let’s get cooking!
I am over the moon excited about my new kitchen toy, the Inspiralizer! I’ve been using an affordable handheld version to see if I wanted to take my vegetable noodle game to the next level.
Sure enough, I made a birthday wish, and it magically appeared on my doorstep. Oh, how I love Amazon and my hubby (thanks, babe)! There are so many advantages to investing in this handy tool, as here’s why…
Benefits of Using a Spiralizer
- Nutrition: The most important feature is that you can take any fruit or vegetable that doesn’t have a pit and enjoy them in a new and different way to increase the health benefits of each meal.
- Ease: Once you figure out the basic setup of the equipment, you can create vegetable noodles for savory dishes in literally seconds. Just crank the lever a few spins, and you get gorgeous curly noodles. The cutter creates these voluminous ribbons of thin noodles that cook in an instant.
- Versatility: Most units have different sizes and shapes of spiralized noodles you can create depending on your dish. I like the spaghetti shape for Italian cooking, but there is also a flat shape to create thicker fettuccine style noodles. Use your noodles to make salads, pasta, and desserts. The recipes are endless!
What is bruschetta and why it so addicting? It starts with ripe, sweet Roma tomatoes, chopped into bite-sized morsels. This allows all of the flavors from the mixture of minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and earthy basil to infuse in each bite.
I use the bruschetta as topping to the sautéed chicken breasts. The contrast of the hot chicken with the fresh tomatoes is incredible. It’s so yummy that I couldn’t help but transform it into a chicken bruschetta sandwich as well!
Italian food is like a breath of fresh air. You can take wholesome ingredients and create a rustic meal that’s aromatic and inviting. This recipe has less than ten components, with only one cooking technique (saute). The combination of savory, earthy and sweet notes adds a flavor punch!
Who’s ready to dig in? Each serving showcases classic Italian flavors that you crave, without all of the extra carbs.
Just because life can feel like being on a super-fast speedway, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a healthy homemade meal. If you’ve got 30 minutes, then you can rock this dish. This skillet bruschetta chicken meal gives you just the right combination of lean protein, fruit, vegetables, and fiber.
Have you tried zoodles or other spiralized vegetables to give your dishes a healthy boost? I’d love to hear about your culinary creations!
What Fruits and Vegetables can be Spiralized?
There are some basic requirements for a good spiralizer candidate. A vegetable or fruit that is not hollow, or has a seed/pit, or a strong core. The diameter should be about 1.5-inch and 2-inches long. Go for ingredients that have a firm and robust flesh. Some things you can spiralize include carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini, butternut squash, jicama, turnip, potatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, beets, plantains, rutabagas, and parsnips. Eat them raw, bake, boil, saute or even fry!
Bruschetta Chicken with Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 4 leaves basil, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
- 8 cups zucchini, cut into noodles, about 4 large
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon minced parsley
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, sliced basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Cut each zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer or into ⅛-inch thick long strips.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the zucchini noodles and saute for 5 minutes, until just tender.
- Add in 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon parsley and toss to combine.
- Taste the noodles and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Turn off the heat and set aside, keeping warm until ready to serve.
- Slice each chicken breast in half to create two thinner pieces. Season each side lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook the other side for 3 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.
- Reduce heat to low, top each piece with a slice of mozzarella and cover for 1 minute to allow the cheese to melt.
- To serve, divide the noodles evenly among 4 bowls. Add chicken and top with bruschetta.
Equipment
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Greg Brunko says
This looks delicious, and I think I can work it in while on keto. Thank you so much!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Greg!
Marcia says
How do think sausage out of their casing would taste with this instead of chicken?
Jessica Gavin says
I think sausage would be a nice switch up to chicken for this recipe. Are you forming them into patties or just browning them into smaller chunks?
Barb says
What is the serving size for those nutritional values?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Barb- The serving size is 4 ounces or chicken per person and about 2 cups of zucchini noodles.
LuAnne says
Really good. Even hubby who hates zucchini loved it. I will make this often. Followed recipe with only minor changes, due to what I had on hand, fire roasted canned tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes. Italian seasoning in place of parsley and omitted the mozzarella altogether.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback LuAnne! Great to hear that the family is enjoying new foods 🙂
Janie Russ says
Absolutely love my Spiralizer! Needed a basic recipe and this is fabulous! Thanks so much, I shared on FB so my friends can enjoy also!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Janie!
Julie says
I just finished eating a plate of this and it was absolutely delicious! I really enjoyed the simplicity and the freshness of all the ingredients. Thank you!
Amber says
Love this recipe! Def will make again!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! Thank you for your feedback Amber, so happy that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
S. Jennings says
Where’s the bread? You do understand, that “bruschetta” (pronounced brus-ketta) is thick slices of bread rubbed with garlic and grilled, right? It can be eaten as is or toppings can be put on top. Other than that this chicken with tomatoes and zoodles looks quite yummy.
Keisha Sibert - Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dreams says
I made the noodles, not the chicken and I think I overcooked my noodles just a bit. I read somewhere to add salt and let them soak on a paper towel…..I think it made the water come out too much. My noodles weren’t horrible, but next time, I’ll just warm them in the pan for a few minutes….but I did love it with the bruschetta – such a delicious and light meal!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Keisha! Yes actually salt does draw out moisture, but you would have to really dry it super well so it’s not soggy when you cook it. I prefer only to lightly salt at the very end of cooking, so that the zoodles stay intact.
Ty says
I am ordering a spiralizer as I post this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for a kitchen gadget before.
Jessica Gavin says
It’s totally a game changer Ty! I LOVE my inspiralizer. Let me know if you ever have any questions. One you figure out how to use it the first time, it’s a breeze!
Melek says
Yummy wıll try soon
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! Can’t wait to hear what you think Melek 🙂
Patricia Donnellan says
Wow! Wow! Wow! This recipe is absolutely fantastic! Easy to make and so very delicious. I made the chicken bruschetta for my husband and vegetarian version with mushrooms for me. So good!!! Thank you!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay Patricia! I’m so happy that your family enjoyed the chicken dish 🙂 love the mushroom substitution idea!!!