One Addition Makes Backyard Grilled Chicken Taste Gourmet

If you're looking for innovative ways to make grilled chicken more flavorful this summer, the secret to taking char-grilled breasts and thighs into gourmet territory may be hiding in your fridge, or even your garden. Fresh, delicious, tomato and basil bruschetta is an excellent finishing touch to grilled chicken. Generally a blend of chopped tomatoes, ribboned basil, and minced garlic drizzled in high-quality olive oil, the bright freshness of these flavors offers a beautiful counterpoint to grilled chicken's savory smokiness.

Additionally, the juicy acidity of the tomatoes and luscious, peppery fat in the olive oil are high on the list of ways to keep grilled chicken breasts juicy and tender. Simply spoon the tomato bruschetta mix onto your chicken just before serving, which not only provides an interesting temperature contrast, but also keeps the basil and tomatoes intact. It's also a good idea to slice the chicken into tidy strips before spooning on the bruschetta, as this provides more surface area for soaking up flavor.

While the best time to make this dish is in the summer when ripe tomatoes, beautiful leafy basil, and plump heads of garlic are readily available, you can also easily make a classic bruschetta in seconds with canned tomatoes, dried basil, and jarred minced garlic. There's also no shame in picking up a tub of the premade stuff from your local grocery store.

Since this dish is fairly simple with straightforward ingredients, it's crucial that each component is high quality and handled properly. If you're grilling chicken breasts, marinate them to infuse them with more moisture and flavor, and allow them to rest after removing them from the grill. This prevents all those delicious juices from spilling out and rendering your chicken dry and mealy.

Additionally, if you're using fresh tomatoes, try to find ripe, firm tomatoes with a deep red color and bright aroma. You'll also want to look for fresh basil with uniform green leaves and no signs of wrinkling or wilting along the edges. It should smell like a combination of fresh-cut grass and black licorice. If you're using canned tomatoes and dried basil, look for reputable brands known for quality ingredients. A few minced sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, along with a drizzle of the oil itself, can also bring some depth to a store-bought bruschetta.

Of course, you're not limited to using bruschetta alone to add flavor to your chicken. Herb-marinated or smoked mozzarella are both delicious, indulgent flavor bombs that go beautifully with bruschetta chicken. Simply melt the cheese onto your chicken before plating. If you're feeling adventurous, smoked gouda, thickly sliced provolone, taleggio, or fontina are all buttery, flavorful cheeses that melt and brown beautifully.