Parmesan chicken bruschetta

Since our move I've been enjoying some work "transition" time...meaning I've been unemployed and enjoying every second :). And since I've not been working, Deli has not been attending any sort of school/daycare. One of our favorite things to do during our "spend all of Daddy's money" time has been to make salads and watch shows together during lunch. While we were at the rental, we didn't bother getting cable since it was such a short time period, so there was a lot of Tinkerbelle and Barbie movies. Now that we are in our new house and have been visited by the Cox Cable man, we've had a little more variety. Surprisingly, one of her fav new shows is the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network which is one of mine too. (Well, one of my fav shows that is appropriate for children...I haven't pushed the Real Housewives on her yet ;) ) 

Seeing as we got cable all of a week ago, I only have 2 episodes of PW on my DVR. We've watched one particular episode like 100 times and Adela still keeps asking for it! In this episode, Ree is home alone for the weekend and cooks all sorts of "lady-foods" while her husband and kids are away. The other thing that happens in this episode is that she feeds her dogs, cats and horses and also gives her dogs a bath...which I suspect is the draw on this episode, but I'll take it.

One of the things that she makes is bruschetta...which looks SO delicious (although it could be the butter soaked bread). I've literally seen this episode so many times it's not surprising that I'd pull something for it for dinner. I had a package of those individually wrapped chicken breasts in the freezer which I LOVE (you can literally put one in a bowl of hot water and it defrosts in 10 minutes) and a big package of "gourmet tomatoes" which I've been using wherever possible. 

If it hadn't been for my "anti-chicken" son, I would have just grilled the chicken, but I knew a breaded variety would increase my chances of him eating it, so I loaded it up with Parmesan cheese and this recipe was born! For the record...he ate it dipped in ranch minus the tomatoes.

The recipe

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 tblsp olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

3 scallions chopped

2 tblsp balsamic vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl wait lack pepper (the ones I usually buy are pretty salty, so I never add salt.)

 in another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and olive oil with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken breasts in the egg mixture and then the breading. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes for smaller chicken breasts...if you have larger ones, bake for 25 minutes (insert inappropriate comment about large vs. small chicken breasts here.)

While the chicken is baking, preheat a small skillet over med. heat. Add garlic cloves and sauté for 2 minutes. And your halved grape tomatoes (or whatever smaller tomatoes you have). Sauté for another minute, then stir in the balsamic vinegar and add the chopped scallions.

Spoon the mixture over chicken and garnish with additional Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley (neither of which I had). Enjoy!

Cooks note: if at any point you need to stop what you are doing a pour yourself a glass of wine because your kids (who have a million dollars worth of toys) are fighting over a bubble gum machine bouncy ball, feel free. If you then have to pour another glass because your 4-year-daughter tells you to speak "properly" during dinner like the mom from Sofia the First, I won't judge ;)