Grilled Bruschetta Chicken (Balsamic Marinade)

A savory and slightly tangy main dish that is perfect for a weekday! I love how everything just whips together quickly!

MARINADE:

1 C zesty italian dressing, your choice of brand ;)

1 TB balsamic vinegar

Throw 4-6 chicken breasts in a bag, pour marinade over... keep in the fridge all day/overnight ontop of either a cookie sheet or in a bowl (in case the bag leaks). Or if you're lucky enough to come across a Tupperware Marinator Container (link here), use it!

TANGY BRUSCHETTA:

6 roma tomatoes (or if you were really pressed for time, like I was, 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, drained well)

3 cloves minced garlic (use 2 if you're not a strong garlic fan)

1/2 a yellow onion, diced (try to keep it the same size as tomatoes)

2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar (honestly, I just did a few quick splashes, so that's a guesstimation)

1/4 C olive oil

Cracked Black Pepper & Salt, to your tasting

Throw everything into a bowl and mix. Let sit for at least 30 mins, or all day! =)

Come dinner time all you need to do is fire up your indoor or outdoor grill, throw the chicken on and cook (usda's reccomended cooking temps here). I've seen some versions of bruschetta chicken where they put the bruschetta ontop of the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. However, if you're like me and DISPISE when veggies fall between the grill grade... let's learn from other's mistakes: heat your brushetta in the microwave for about a 1:30-2:00, then everyone can spoon their desired amount onto their chicken. If you wanted to you could put shredded mozerella on top! Cheese makes everything better for my toddler ;)

Pirate Jack Chicken

Last year I started eating healthier, and trying to cut some of the processed foods from our lives. In the summer I looooove bbq like no other, but realize some of the sauces aren't the greatest for you. Somehow I stumbled up this marinade from Eating Well, and as I tasted it thought "hmm, pepper jack cheese would be awesome on this" so melted some ontop of the breasts for and it added a whole new dimension to this dish. My husband claims to not like fruit mixed with his meat, but he thought this was good--so it's a keeper in our house! This isn't always our "go-to" alternative for bbq sauce but it's a freqeunt flyer on our grill during summer.

Ingredients
4-6 chicken breasts (steak would also be awesome)
1oz slices of pepper jack cheese per breast
MARINADE:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 dashes hot sauce

1. Mix up the marinade, and let the meat soak 2hrs to overnight. My sweet spot for this marinade was about 6hrs, I didn't want to let the orange overpower for my husband.
2. Over medium heat, grill, or pan cook 6-12 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of meat. During the last minute of cooking, throw on the pepper jack cheese to get it all nice & melty!
3. Serve with whatever sides you wish, the tex-mex kind pair nicely with this! =)

Thanks to Eating Well for this fabulous marinade *here*