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Giardiniera Chicken Melts plated with veggies.
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5 from 3 votes

Giardiniera Chicken Melts

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 35 minutes
Author: Alex Snodgrass

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the Veggies:

  • 1 pound mini peppers
  • 2 medium zucchini sliced ¼-inch thickness on the diagonal
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Toppings:

  • 1 cup marinara
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¾ cup mild or hot giardiniera
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Make the Chicken Marinade:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, oregano, parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar until well combined. Set Aside.

Prep the Chicken:

  • On a large cutting board, slice the chicken breasts open lengthwise, without slicing all of the way through the breasts, like a book. Cover with saran wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the chicken so that it is an even ¼-inch thickness. Transfer the butterflied chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to marinade for at least 30 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 4 hours.

Prep the Veggies:

  • Meanwhile, place the mini bell peppers and sliced zucchini on a large sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Grill the Chicken and Veggies:

  • Heat grill over medium-high heat (350-400℉) and oil the grill grates. To do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that's a sure fire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.
  • Add the chicken to one half side of the grill and cook for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. The lid should be closed throughout the cooking process.
  • To the other half of the grill, add the mini bell peppers and zucchini, in a single layer. Grill for about 6 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until grill marks appear and the zucchini is tender and the bell peppers soften. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and divide the marinara on top of each of the chicken breasts. Next, top with the mozzarella, then the giardiniera. Close the lid and let cook until the cheese is nice and melty, 3 to 4 more minutes.

Serve and Enjoy:

  • Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley.