Bruschetta Chicken Pasta is a fresh departure from spaghetti night and a simple weeknight supper solution. Rich with Italian flavors like aromatic garlic, fresh basil, and a balsamic glaze topped with perfectly seasoned chicken for a family meal that you will want to sit down together for.
Bruschetta chicken pasta will quickly top your list of family favorites. It’s a fresh departure from spaghetti night with simple ingredients that make it a wonderful weeknight dinner or perfect to show off for company coming over.
Easy pasta dinner options like Taco Stuffed Shells and Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta are sanity savers for our busy household.
But not only is it easy and delicious, your kitchen will smell like you poured over the sauce all day! Top with a perfectly seasoned chicken breast and freshly grated parmesan- and that’s amore!
This recipe is inspired by one I enjoyed often when I worked at TGI Friday’s years ago. Fun fact, that’s also where I met my husband. Preparing this pasta always comes with a dash of sweet nostalgia; the secret ingredient is love. But seriously, what’s not to love about this dish?
Ingredients and Notes
Below is an overview of what you will need to make Bruschetta Chicken along with any notes on substitutions or specific ingredients.
Grilled Chicken – The chicken is made separately for this recipe so you can either grill or sauté it if you like. I don’t add any seasoning beyond salt and pepper.
Thin Spaghetti – The delicate texture of thinner pasta is best with the flavor of the bruschetta. You can also use regular spaghetti, angel hair, or penne.
Roma Tomatoes – If Roma tomatoes aren’t available, you can use a mixture of any fresh, juicy, and firm tomatoes like Campari or beefsteak. No mealy tomatoes because the texture will be all wrong. Deseeding the tomatoes by slicing off the stem/top of the tomato and then scoop the seeded cavities out with a tiny spoon or your hands.
Marinara Sauce – I use this to add a little sauce texture to the bruschetta so that it clings on to each individual pasta strand. The marinara has a nice flavor that works with the bruschetta. However, sometimes I use whatever is in my pantry, whether it’s a meatless spaghetti sauce or even just crushed tomatoes.
Parmesan – Must be shredded, and I recommend freshly shredded. It melts easier and has more of a creamy flavor.
Balsamic Glaze – My favorite part! It’s very not optional to me and elevates the dish to new heights with its sweet and smoky flavor. You can usually find balsamic glaze with other balsamic vinegars.
Recipe Tip: You can also make your own balsamic glaze by adding 2 cups of a good quality balsamic vinegar + ¾ cup brown sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and turn to medium low. Stir occasionally until the vinegar thickens and reduces to about a half cup (around 20 min).
Step by Step Recipe Guide
The full directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but I include this area as a visual guide with additional tips.
- Make the Bruschetta – A good bruschetta is super simple to throw together, but it relies on fresh ingredients. Stir together the tomatoes, basil, garlic, glaze, olive oil, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This step is best performed at least two hours ahead of time or overnight to let flavors meld.
- Grill the Chicken and prepare the spaghetti according to instructions. I add a little salt and pepper, but not other seasoning to the chicken and grill over medium flame. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing for maximum juiciness. Slicing on a diagonal does make the prettiest presentation.
- Make the Sauce – After the bruschetta has marinated, warm it up on the stove and add some marinara so you get a chunky, but a little saucier in texture. Sometimes I add more or less marinara depending on how firm the bruschetta is.
- Garnish and Serve– Mix the pasta back into the bruschetta mixture and warm everything up before transferring to a plate. Top the pasta with chicken, freshly shredded parmesan, and drizzle some balsamic glaze in lines on the plate (with an extra generous squeeze for myself!)
Video Instructions
If you’d rather watch this being prepared, check out our video demonstration!
More Family Friendly Recipes to Make
- Sausage Stuffed Shells
- Beef Cannelloni
- Marsala Chicken Bake
- How To Make Hibachi
- Sweet Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
Bruschetta Chicken Pasta Recipe Tips
- This pasta dinner can be plated in less than thirty minutes if you make the bruschetta the morning or day before.
- For my kids, I leave off the balsamic glaze and add some extra parmesan.
- When you pack up leftovers, add ¼ cup of bruschetta to the container. Top it with the noodles, to prevent soggy noodles before lunch.
- Roma tomatoes are considered the best, but if they aren’t available, use another variety that is firm for stewing like Campari or some heirloom varieties. I have even used grape tomatoes before.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any side items that you serve with spaghetti would also be good with Bruschetta Pasta like Garlic Bread, Panzanella Salad, Cesar or Greek Salad, Caprese, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, or start with a soup like Chicken Kale Soup.
This pasta can be altered to suit your personal taste. If chicken doesn’t light up your world, try swapping it out for juicy shrimp. You could also make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding more vegetables like sautéed spinach or zucchini, maybe even fresh mozzarella pearls.
The taste of Balsamic Vinegar is intense, sweet and sour, aromatic and lingers in your mouth. It is often aged in barrels that give it a deep, complex flavor. The taste of Balsamic Glaze is sweeter and not as bright or acidic. It is thicker, with more of a syrup consistency and is great for garnishing dishes or decorating plates.
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Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Bruschetta
- 8 Roma Tomatoes diced
- ⅓ cup Fresh Basil chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon Balsamic Glaze
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Chicken Pasta
- 1 lb Chicken Breast grilled or sauteed
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- ⅓ cup Marinara meatless spaghetti sauce can work as well
- Thin Spaghetti Noodles
- Balsamic Glaze for garnish
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Stir in balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt, pepper. Set aside. This step is best performed two hours ahead of time to let flavors meld, but not required. Sprinkle and stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Boil noodles per directions in a large pot. Pound chicken breast until about ½ inch thick. Grill chicken on both sides until completely cooked as desired.
- Add olive oil to a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Add marinara and bruschetta into pan and stir occassionally until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add noodles to pan and stir to combine with bruschetta, until warmed throughout.
- Cut grilled chicken into pieces. Serve over top of the spagetti noodles. Garnish with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze and parmesan cheese.
Notes
- You can find balsamic glaze in the vinegar aisle. You can also make your own balsamic glaze by adding 2 cups of a good quality balsamic vinegar + ¾ cup brown sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and turn to medium low. Stir occasionally until the vinegar thickens and reduces to about a half cup (around 20 min).
- Roma tomatoes are considered the best, but if they aren’t available, use another variety that is firm for stewing like Campari or some heirloom varieties. I have even used grape tomatoes before.
Nutrition
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Christina says
This was great! It was very nice with all the tomato juices and not super saucy like spaghetti sauce.
Debb says
This is so good!!!! 5 stars. I just added more garlic and half a jar of marinara sauce. So glad I found this!!!😋😋
Helen says
I love TGI Fridays Bruschetta Chicken Pasta! Thank you so much for the recipe. It was delicious!