Bruschetta Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender grilled chicken topped with fresh tomato-basil bruschetta and mixed greens creates a vibrant, satisfying bowl.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For the Bruschetta Topping

07 - 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced (about 4 medium tomatoes)
08 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For the Salad

15 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, arugula, or spring mix)
16 - 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
17 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - While the chicken grills, combine tomatoes, red onion, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Toss gently and let sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Arrange salad greens on a large platter or individual plates. Lay sliced chicken over the greens.
06 - Spoon the bruschetta topping generously over the chicken. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan, if using. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all the beloved flavors of classic bruschetta without the heaviness of bread
  • The warm chicken against the cool, marinated tomatoes creates this incredible temperature contrast that keeps every bite interesting
  • It comes together faster than you can decide whether to open that bottle of white wine
02 -
  • Letting the tomato mixture sit while the chicken cooks is non-negotiable—that 10-minute rest period transforms it from chopped ingredients to a cohesive topping
  • Resting the chicken before slicing keeps all those juices inside the meat where they belong, not pooling on your cutting board
  • Serving immediately matters because the warm chicken wilts the greens just enough and marries with the cool tomatoes in this really lovely way
03 -
  • Use a microplane to mince your garlic—it distributes more evenly than chopping and you avoid biting into a raw garlic chunk
  • Pat your tomatoes dry after dicing if they seem especially watery, which prevents the salad from becoming soupy
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