Grilled Chicken Panzanella Salad

Soggy bread has always been one of my least favorite things to eat – the texture is unpleasant and unappetizing to me. That’s why I’m always so surprised that I love bread salad so much – but only when prepared a particular way – my way! Let’s talk panzanella salads!

Grilled chicken panzanella salad - photo by Laurie Geis

Panzanella salad is a 16th century Italian creation from the Tuscany region that includes stale bread along with chopped vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, all soaked in an olive oil-based dressing. It comes in many different variations, but all of them use basically the same formula. I tried it many times in the past but always abhorred it because the bread was soggy and squishy, which is no way to eat bread, right? Then, I stumbled across Barefoot Contessa’s panzanella salad recipe and started thinking differently about this unique dish.

Ina Garten (a.k.a., the Barfoot Contessa) has a recipe for panzanella in her Barfoot Contessa Parties cookbook (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2001) that Laurie and I have made more times than we can count over the years. It’s different from other recipes in that she uses toasted croutons instead of soaked stale bread. Even then, we have adapted her recipe which calls for combining all the ingredients, including the toasted bread and dressing, for one hour before serving. Instead, to address my serious aversion to soggy bread, we add the bread right before serving to ensure it stays somewhat crispy when soaked in the dressing.

In fact, we loved this dish so much that I decided to make it a main course by adding grilled chicken and fresh mozzarella to the mix. I also created my own recipe for crispy croutons that could stand up to the dressing, along with a champagne-mustard vinaigrette that pairs perfectly with the vegetables and chicken. The end result is a hearty salad that you can enjoy as a main course for lunch or dinner.

Grilled Chicken Panzanella Salad (Serves 4)

This is a perfect dish warm-weather dish for serving al fresco along with a nice hearty rose – try it with the Olema Rose Cotes De Provence, 2021 ($18), Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc Rose Oeil de Perdrix Vineyard, 2021 ($20), or the Meiomi Rose ($17). You can also make all the components ahead of time and then combine right before serving, so it’s great for easy entertaining as well!

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 recipe butter-parmesan croutons (see below)

1 recipe champagne-mustard vinaigrette (see below)

½ green bell pepper, cut into ¾ inch pieces

½ red bell pepper, cut into ¾ inch pieces

½ yellow bell pepper, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 English cucumber, cut into ¾ inch pieces (about 1 ½ cups)

3 medium tomatoes, cut into ¾ inch pieces

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp. drained capers

½ lb. (about 1 cup) small fresh mozzarella balls (sometimes called bocconcini), halved

1 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper plus more to taste

Directions

Prepare and grill the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a gallon sized Ziplock bag along with the buttermilk and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours (this will help tenderize the chicken and keep it from drying out while on the grill). Pre-heat the grill by turning all burners on high for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the marinade off of the chicken breasts and place on a plate. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil on both sides, along with 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper. Reduce burners to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken breasts for about 15 minutes, or until thermometer registers 155 degrees, flipping once halfway through. Place chicken on cutting board and cover with foil until cooled (chicken will continue cooking after removing from grill). Once cool, dice the chicken into ¾ inch pieces and set aside.

Make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, capers, chicken, and mozzarella balls. Pour vinaigrette over the mixture and combine with a spoon to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, add about 3 cups of the croutons and stir to combine. Add more if desired or save the remainder for other purposes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Butter-Parmesan Croutons (makes about 6 cups)

These delicious croutons are quick and easy to make. The butter and parmesan cheese help to form a crispy, cheesy crust on the croutons that holds up exceptionally well to dressings.

Ingredients

1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter

1 loaf of sourdough bread, sliced and cut into ¾ inch cubes (about 6 cups total – use remaining bread for other purposes)

¼ cup fresh grated parmesan

½ tsp. garlic salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Place the bread cubes into a large bowl and pour melted butter over bread – toss to coat. Add parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and pepper and toss again to combine. Place croutons in a rimmed baking sheet, spread out over the sheet, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, toss the croutons and return to the over for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool (once cooled, you can store these in a zip-lock bag until ready to use – just make sure they are completely cooled before doing so or else they will become soggy from the heat/steam in the bag).

Champagne-Mustard Vinaigrette (makes about ½ cup)

This is one of Laurie’s and my “go to” salad vinaigrettes because it’s simple to make and comes together in less than 15 minutes. I use two types of mustard to brighten the flavor of the vinaigrette, and also “pickle” the shallots in the vinegar to add complexity. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days if you have leftovers or want to make it in advance.

Ingredients

1 small shallot, minced

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. whole grain mustard

3 tbsp. champagne vinegar

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the shallots, mustard, and vinegar – let sit for 10 minutes. Add the olive oil slowly, whisking constantly to incorporate. Add salt and pepper to taste.