Crispy Garlic Chicken with Bruschetta
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If you’re looking for a quick and flavorful dinner win, this Trader Joe’s 5 Ingredient Crispy Garlic Chicken with Bruschetta is it! Juicy chicken breasts are coated in a rich, garlic spread and breadcrumbs, then air fried or pan-fried until perfectly crispy. The chicken is served over creamy pasta, then topped with Trader Joe’s famous fresh bruschetta sauce for the ultimate easy weeknight meal. This recipe delivers big flavor in under 30 minutes!
Why you must try this recipe
In 2024 I started a series on Instagram where I shared a new Trader Joe’s 5 ingredient recipe every week. The series was so successful that I turned all of the recipes into an ebook. Click on the link and you can get it for FREE!
Now I hate to be biased with my recipes, but this one might just be my favorite Trader Joe’s 5 ingredient recipe to date! It has everything, great textures, great flavors, and it’s easy to make in 30 minutes!
Don’t worry if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s around you. I’ll give alternate ingredients that you can pick up at any major grocery store, so you can always make this recipe at home. And trust me you’re going to want to make this recipe over and over again. It’s already become a staple in our house!
The chicken is perfectly crispy and flavorful. The pasta is perfectly creamy and the bruschetta adds a bright, fresh flavor to top off the whole dish. When I say this is a must-try recipe, it really is!!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this crispy garlic chicken bruschetta recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken breasts – you’ll want about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can make this recipe with 2 or 3 chicken breasts, depending on their size. I recommend buying by weight, not quantity of breasts.
- Garlic spread – this is a Trader Joe’s gem for anyone that loves garlic! If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, grab a bottle of garlic aioli spread, sold at most major grocery stores. Here’s a copycat recipe that you could also make at home.
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Bruschetta sauce – if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, make my easy homemade bruschetta recipe, or look for a jar of tomato bruschetta at your local grocery store. You can normally find it on the aisle with the condiments.
- Spaghetti noodles
This recipe is great with these 5 ingredients, but I do recommend adding a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper, since I’m guessing you already have these at home. I like to season the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper after I coat them in the garlic spread, before I roll them in the breadcrumbs.
I also recommend spraying the chicken with cooking spray in the air fryer to give it a nice crispy brown crust on the outside. And if you have any Italian seasoning in the pantry, toss a couple of tablespoons in with the breadcrumbs for even more flavor!
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Coat the chicken. Slice each chicken breast in half, lengthwise through the middle. Coat each piece of chicken in the garlic spread on all sides. Optional: season on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl. Add each piece of chicken to the bowl of breadcrumbs. Press gently on each side, until the chicken is coated in the breadcrumbs.
- Air fry the chicken. Place the panko-crusted chicken breasts in an air fryer basket. Optional: spray with cooking spray. Cook for 6 minutes at 400°F. Flip the chicken in the air fryer and optionally spray with more cooking spray before cooking at 400°F for an additional 6 minutes.
- Cook the spaghetti. While the chicken is cooking in the air fryer, bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove over high heat. Once boiling, add the spaghetti noodles and cook according to package directions. Remove one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add garlic spread and ¼ cup pasta water. Toss to combine, then add more pasta water until the “sauce” on the pasta reaches your desired consistency.
- Plate the dish. Spoon some of the pasta onto a plate, top with a piece of the cooked chicken, and spoon the bruschetta over the chicken and pasta.
Alternate cooking options
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook the chicken in the oven. To bake the chicken, preheat an oven to 425°F. If your oven has a convection setting, I recommend using that. Place the breaded chicken on a wire rack, on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.
You can also pan fry the chicken, instead of cooking it in an air fryer. To do this, add enough vegetable oil to a large skillet, so that you have 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of the pan. Place the pan of oil on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and fry it for 4 minutes per side.
More 5 ingredient recipes
Try these other easy recipes made with 5 ingredients, or less!
Crispy Garlic Chicken Pasta with Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 ounces garlic spread
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 14.5 ounces bruschetta sauce
- ½ pound spaghetti noodles
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise through the middle.
- Measure out ½ cup of the garlic spread. Coat all of the pieces of chicken in the garlic spread on all sides.
- Add the breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl. Add each piece of chicken to the bowl of breadcrumbs and coat the chicken on all sides.
- Place the panko-crusted chicken breasts in an air fryer basket. Optional: spray with cooking spray. Air fry for 6 minutes at 400°F, flip and air fry for an additional 6 minutes.*See notes in the blog post above for how to cook the chicken in the oven, or pan fry it on the stove, if you don't have an air fryer available.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove over high heat. Once boiling, add the spaghetti noodles and cook according to package directions.
- Remove one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the remaining ½ cup garlic spread and ¼ cup pasta water. Toss to combine, then add more pasta water until the “sauce” on the pasta reaches your desired consistency.
- Spoon some of the pasta onto a plate, top with a piece of the cooked chicken. Spoon the bruschetta over the chicken and pasta, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Optional additions for even more flavor: season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper after coating it in the garlic spread. Season the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning before rolling the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Spray the chicken with cooking spray before air frying it.
- If you have leftover cooked chicken, that has not been topped with the bruschetta, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it at 400°F for 3-4 minutes in the air fryer. Reheat any leftover pasta in the microwave, then plate the dish and top it with the bruschetta.
Nutrition Facts
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