Weeknights in our house are a chaos-filled race to the finish. Get home, wash up, make and eat dinner, do baths, bedtime routines, and by that point mom and dad are ready to collapse right along with the kids. I’m always on the lookout for dinners that are simple, reasonably healthy, can be prepped or made ahead, and will appeal to our whole family (especially my 2.5 year old’s picky palate).
I recently came across a recipe on the Feeding Littles Instagram feed that has become our new family favorite: Bruschetta Chicken. It requires only a few simple ingredients, can be adapted in many different ways, and everyone in my house will happily eat it. I call that a win! As a bonus, the leftovers are great for lunches. If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner – especially during back to school season when weeknights are busier than ever – give this a try! I hope you love it as much as we do.
Ingredients and Directions:
*1 Container of Bruschetta Sauce – I buy it at Trader Joes (be sure to get the one in the refrigerated section not the jarred version). You can also find pre-made bruschetta sauce at other grocery stores like Stop and Shop. Or, if you’re up for it, you can always make your own.
*1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt (I prefer Greek because it’s creamier but you can use regular).
*Mix above items together and pour over 1.5 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs (laid flat in a 9×13 baking dish).
*Bake at 350 for 35 minutes (or until internal temp reaches 165F).
*Serve over spaghetti (our favorite) or zoodles for a low carb option. Liberally sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese or your favorite non-dairy option. I usually include some sort of green vegetable on the side like a light salad or roasted zucchini. Delicious and simple!
Tips and Suggested Variations:
*I’ve subbed shrimp for the chicken with great success; be sure to lower the cook time significantly and keep an eye on on things as shrimp cook very quickly.
*This can also be made in the crock pot, on low for 4-6 hours.
*To save time, I’ve assembled everything ahead of time and left the baking dish in the fridge to pop into the oven 45 minutes before dinnertime. You can also make the pasta ahead and store in the fridge; add a little olive oil or melted butter to be sure that the pasta doesn’t stick together.
*If you don’t plan to use a liberal amount of fresh grated parmesan cheese, you may want to add some salt and pepper to the chicken before baking as otherwise the dish may not be salty enough for some palates.
