Grilled Bruschetta Chicken with Roasted Parmesan-Sun Dried Tomato Broccoli

We weren't really in the mood for unhealthy, so we decided to change it up a bit and cook a light meal for a change. I ended up making Grilled Bruschetta Chicken with Roasted Parmesan-Sun Dried Tomato Broccoli. I marinated the chicken cutlets in pesto for a day or so, and then I grilled them & topped them with a fresh bruschetta topping & a balsamic glaze. I served them along with some roasted broccoli that was tossed with sun dried tomatoes, parmesan, fresh basil, and lemon juice. The meal turned out great. It is just tastes to light & fresh, and you don't feel so "blah" after eating a lot of it! Enjoy :)

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken with a Balsamic Glaze Drizzle & Roasted Parmesan-Sun Dried Tomato Broccoli

For the Pesto Chicken:

6 Chicken Cutlets

1C Pesto

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Bruschetta Topping:

2 Roma Tomatoes, Cut into Small Pieces

3T Fresh Basil, Minced

¼C Red Onion, Finely Chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1T Olive Oil

1T Pesto

Salt & Pepper To Taste

For the Balsamic Reduction:

¾C Balsamic Vinegar

¼C Brown Sugar

For the Broccoli:

4C Broccoli Florets

2 Garlic Cloves, Thinly Sliced

1t Grated Lemon Zest

1T Lemon Juice

¼C Parmesan Cheese

¼C Sun Dried Tomatoes

2T Olive Oil

1T Fresh Basil, Julienned

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Grilled Pesto Chicken: Put the chicken cutlets in a Ziploc bag and pour in the pesto and toss the bag around to evenly coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. The day of, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. This will help the chicken grill and not steam. Heat a grill pan (I use my George Foreman) to medium-high heat and spray with Pam. Grill each chicken cutlet for 2-3 minutes on each side, just so that they are starting to caramelize. Remove the grilled thighs and place on a baking dish lined with tin foil and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove them from the oven.

2. For the Bruschetta Topping: In a small mixing bowl, mix together all of the topping ingredients until completely distributed together. Let this mixture sit together for about 30 minutes before topping the chicken.

3. For the Balsamic Reduction: Bring the vinegar to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer. When it reduces halfway, add in the brown sugar. Simmer some more until the vinegar become thick & syrupy and sticks to the back of a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes. As it cools it will also thicken up. Set this aside until ready to drizzle on top of the chicken.

4. To Make the Roasted Broccoli: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam and set it aside. Put the broccoli florets into a large mixing bowl and toss in the garlic and 2T olive oil until the florets are completely coated. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Pour the broccoli onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes, until they are crisp, but tender and some of the tips are browned. After cooking, remove from the oven and immediately toss with 2t olive oil, zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, and basil. 

5. After the chicken has baked, top the pesto chicken cutlets with the Bruschetta topping and drizzle with some of the balsamic reduction. Serve with roasted broccoli and whole-wheat pasta.