Easy Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta Recipe

This bruschetta started out as another open-faced grilled cheese sandwich recipe! I wanted to try something new, so I spread on some guacamole, put on a slice of tomato, added cheese, and grilled the bread! Let me tell you that this was extremely delicious, and I couldn’t wait to make it again! For my second time around, I actually realized that the tomato would probably actually be better served on top and chopped. Of course, that hunch was correct! For the next attempt, as you see here, I also added some chopped onions and cilantro for extra flavor.

It was hard to put a name on this recipe. From the crunch of the bread with the refreshing chopped tomatoes, I felt this combination was like a bruschetta. So there you have it! A bruschetta, an Italian favourite, with a Mexican twist from the guacamole and cilantro on top, and a quick fusion appetizer or lunch is born!

Why Make Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta

What I love about this bruschetta is that it’s warm, cheesy, and tangy!

It’s also so quick to make! As you’ll see in the recipe, you only need a few steps to get everything ready and assemble this delicious bruschetta! That’s why it’s a perfect lunch option or it can be served as an appetizer to please your guests for any occasion!

Here are the steps to make this bruschetta at a glance:

Poach the chicken
Prepare the guacamole
Make the bruschetta
Assemble the sandwich and serve!

What Cheese Can I use for This Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta?▼

For this bruschetta recipe, I recommend any strong cheese. That’s because our shredded chicken is a blank canvas, and the main flavour profile in this bruschetta comes from the guacamole and the cheese. For instance, while mozzarella cheese would produce some nice cheese pulls, it’s so mild in flavour that your bruschetta will be quite bland.

I’d recommend you take this as an opportunity to really have fun with some strong-flavoured cheeses that you may not normally incorporate! For the sake of making a base recipe, I simply used old cheddar here, but I have quite a few recommendations that would really enhance this bruschetta:

Monterey Jack: This cheese is a great option because it melts really well. It will be nice and stringy, which is what we’re looking for! You can get varieties with jalapeño or ghost pepper. Check out what your grocery store offers and switch it up!
Applewood smoked cheddar: This cheese is simply incredible! I love that strong smoked flavour of the cheddar, which is what we’re looking for in this bruschetta!
White cheddar: White cheddar is an excellent substitute for yellow cheddar! The older you go with white cheddar, the stronger it will be. I’ve loved 5-year old cheddar, and that would be excellent here!
Havarti: One of my favourites! It’s very creamy, so it will melt nicely. If you’re not a fan of the stronger cheese varieties, but you still want the right amount of flavour in your bruschetta, then this is what I would recommend! Instead of a sharp taste like the previous cheeses I’ve mentioned have, havarti actually has a subtle sweetness.

Can I use Pre-Cooked Chicken?▼

Sure! You could definitely use leftover chicken if you have it on hand and shred it! If you have store-bought chicken that’s lightly seasoned, then you can shred that up too! You just want to make sure that the chicken is plain. As I’ve described above, the chicken acts as a blank canvas in this recipe. You want the flavours from the guacamole and your cheese to shine here! The shredded chicken will provide a nice texture to add body to our bruschetta.

Ingredients for Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta

Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the recipe card, which has the FULL list of ingredients and measurements, in addition to the instructions! You can also click “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page!

Sliced bread of choice. Any crusty bread will work here! I used sourdough bread, but other breads that would work great for this recipe are ciabatta, baguette, and rye bread!
Chicken breast. Use raw chicken breast to makeSimple Poached Chicken. Alternatively, you can use some rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store that you already have on hand!
Your favourite cheese. Sliced into thin pieces to fit the bread. Read the section about my cheese recommendations for some great options! I used old yellow cheddar for this recipe.
Tomatoes. Finely chopped.
Onions. Finely chopped.
Guacamole. I’m following my recipe for Incredible Easy Homemade Guacamole! All you need for this guacamole is an avocado, tomatoes, onions, green chilies, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and cilantro. You’ve already got tomato and onion out, so it’ll be easy to prepare your guacamole as the chicken cooks!
Salt. To taste.
Cilantro. For garnish.

Making Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta

This Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta recipe only takes a couple of steps to bring it all together! Read on to learn how!

Step 1 - Poach the Chicken

All you need for this is boiling water and some salt! In a cold pot, add chicken and fill the pot with water. Fill the pot until you have covered the chicken by at least 1 inch. Season with salt turn the heat to medium. Cover with a lid, and let the chicken cook. This will take about 20 minutes.

Chicken poaching in a pot of salted boiling water on the stovetop.

Chicken poaching in boiling salted water in a large pot with a spoon stirring the broth.

To have the best shredded chicken, poach your chicken first!

For more details on poaching your chicken, check out my recipe for Simple Poached Chicken!

Step 2 - Prepare Your Guacamole

To prepare the guacamole, simply whisk together one mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes, onion, green chilies, cilantro, minced garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Mixed guacamole ingredients in a stainless steel bowl including cilantro, diced tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

Freshly whisked guacamole in a bowl with visible chunks of avocado, tomato, and cilantro being mixed with a whisk.

For the full recipe of the best guacamole, check out my Incredible Easy Homemade Guacamole recipe. The entire guacamole recipe will be more than enough to spread on four slices of bread, as I do here.

Step 3 - Make the Bruschetta

To make the bruschetta, chop additional tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Set these aside to garnish later.

Step 4 - Assemble the Sandwich and Serve!

Once your chicken has finished cooking, drain the water and shred the chicken using two forks.

Heat a grill pan on medium heat and turn on the oven broiler on High.

When the pan is hot, place your slices of bread on the pan. Evenly spread guacamole across each slice of bread. Add a generous amount of shredded chicken, enough to cover the bread. Add slices of cheese over the shredded chicken.

Bread slices topped with guacamole spread being transferred to a baking pan with a spoon.

Four slices of toasted bread topped with guacamole, shredded cheese, and diced tomatoes in a grill pan.

Four slices of toasted bread topped with green guacamole, shredded chicken, and melted orange cheese on a grill pan.

Transfer the grill pan into the oven for about a minute or until the cheese melts.

Four slices of toasted bread with melted cheddar cheese, guacamole, diced chicken, and cilantro on a grill pan.

After your cheese has melted, add spoonfuls of the bruschetta. Serve hot and enjoy!

Four slices of toasted bread topped with melted cheese, guacamole, diced chicken, and fresh diced tomatoes on a baking sheet.

Four pieces of guacamole and chicken bruschetta topped with melted cheese, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro on a baking sheet.

What to Serve with Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta

Well, you can have almost whatever you’d like with this guacamole and chicken bruschetta if you’re serving it as a starter! Here are some recipes I would recommend:

I had these as a main because I ate all four slices of bread, and they were fairly large slices! These are terrific on their own for a quick lunch or make for a wonderful starter if you’re using smaller slices of bread!

Can I make this Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta Ahead of Time?▼

A big yes to this! While I wouldn’t recommend assembling the Chicken and Guacamole Bruschetta ahead of time, you can definitely take some steps to have everything in place when you are ready to serve, which can come in handy if you’re serving these as a starter!

For instance, you can poach your chicken ahead of time and shred it. Keep it in a container for up to two days to ensure it stays juicy and fresh. You could also make your guacamole ahead of time. Homemade guacamole stays fresh in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Finally, you could chop your tomatoes, onions and cilantro ahead of time, and store it in an airtight container. Once you’re ready to assemble, get everything out and proceed with the final step of this recipe!

Tips for the Best Guacamole Bruschetta

A few small choices make this bruschetta shine. For the guacamole, reach for ripe Hass avocados — their creamy, buttery flesh mashes into the silkiest avocado mixture and holds up beautifully under the warm bread; give one a gentle squeeze and it should yield slightly without feeling mushy. If you like a sharper, sweeter bite, swap the onion for finely chopped red onion, which adds a pop of colour too. Stir the lime juice through well — it keeps the avocado mixture bright green and balances the rich melted cheddar. And assemble at the last minute: spread the guacamole, pile on the shredded chicken and cheese, then broil just until the cheese melts so the bread stays crisp instead of going soggy.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

Here are some other quick and easy chicken recipes that you can serve for any occasion!

Hot Tex Mex Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe by Anadi Misra