Garden Recipe Ideas and Balsamic Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

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It is the end of summer and my garden is bursting! Especially the cherry tomatoes. I love cherry tomatoes year round. The larger tomatoes for some reason split and struggle to grow. But cherry tomatoes are where its at! They are the sweetest, juiciest little bites. I love making grilled balsamic chicken with a cherry tomato bruschetta like topping. I also have recipes for balsamic cherry jam and a delicious end of summer pasta.

My garden also has always done well with lettuce, green beans, and various peppers. I also love having kitchen herb garden. Meaning I take the herbs I use the most in my cooking and plant them in the little pots on my deck. My favorites are basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, and dill. And of course, mint! But that grows like a weed and overwhelms a space. You have to keep a close eye on it and trim accordingly. However, I use it in iced tea and lemonade, making a simple syrup out of it! With mint I also like to chop it up with other herbs and add to a marinade for chicken. Or mix it in with crumbled feta for a delicious salad topping.

You can also dry your herbs or freeze them in ice cube trays to have on hand during the colder months. I can’t tell you many times I think myself for having crispy basil leaves in the freezer. They instantly bring a freshness as they melt into a pasta sauce.

Eggplant and Zucchini also take over in the late summer months. Of course there are versions of eggplant and zucchini parm on repeat. I am grilling up vegetables left and right, loving the leftovers chopped up pasta or in wraps. Also, eggplant caponata dip is one of my favorites!

Pickling vegetables is another one of my favorite ways to use garden vegetables. String beans and pepperoncini peppers work really well in my quick pickle brine.

ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1 1/4 lb)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 c balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 c olive oil

• 1 Tbsp honey or Coconut Sugar

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

  Cherry Tomato Panzanella

• 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 tbsp garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp shallots, minced

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

• salt

• pepper

• Fresh Basil

  Bread Pieces

• 1 cups cubed bread (italian or french bread)

• salt

• pepper

• olive oil

instructions

1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl.

2. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, onion powder, and dried basil. Then place into a pyrex baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken and cover. Then place the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

3. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge let it come to room temperature before placing in the oven. Place

4. Preheat the oven to 425. Bake, uncovered, for 22 to 24 minutes, or until internal temperature registers at 165˚F. Start checking for doneness at the 20-minute mark.

   Cherry Tomato Panzanella

5. Using the same bowl as the marinade add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix together and set aside. If you aren't cooking the chicken at that time, cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator. When you take the mixture out of the fridge then mix again, adding in 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil.

6. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle salt, pepper over the top. And toss to coat, and put it in the oven with the chicken until toasted, about 3-4 minutes.

Putting it Together

1. Once the chicken is out of the oven, let it rest before slicing.

2. Toss together the cherry tomatoes and bread cubes. Spoon on top of the chicken, top with additional fresh basil if desired.

RECIPE NOTES:

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