4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 cup + 2 T. Italian dressing, divided

About 1 lb. tomatoes, chopped
   (about 1½ cups chopped)

3 T. chopped basil leaves

2 whole garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 T. olive oil

2 large zucchini, spiralized into noodles*

Marinate the chicken in advance: Place chicken breasts into a large zipper bag or shallow plastic container. Pour 1 cup of dressing on top and make sure it covers every inch of chicken. Seal up and refrigerate for 2 – 24 hours (at least 8 hours for the best flavor).

Make the bruschetta topping in advance: Combine the chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, minced garlic, and 2 T. remaining Italian dressing. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 – 24 hours.

In a large skillet, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 15 minutes, turning once. You want the chicken nice and browned on the outside while fully cooked inside. Remove the chicken from the skillet; do not clean out skillet. Add 1 T. olive oil to the skillet, followed by the zucchini noodles and ¾ cup of the bruschetta topping. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The noodles will cook down, absorbing all the flavor. Remove from heat and place chicken on top of the noodles. If using a serving dish, place noodles on first and top with chicken. Evenly top each chicken breast with remaining bruschetta mixture. Serve immediately. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Cook’s note:

If you do not have a spiralizer, just cut the zucchini into super thin strips instead. Or use 1 pound angel hair pasta. If using regular pasta, you’ll want to cook it before using. Try tossing the cooked pasta with a scant ½ cup tomato sauce before adding to the skillet to give it more flavor. The zucchini noodles pick up a lot of flavor from the pan, but the regular pasta won’t.