Grilled Chicken and Mushroom Panzanella
There are some nights I’m just not up for making a big and involved dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good piece of chicken steak or fish, but there are just some nights when the last thing I want to do is cook. It’s on those nights that I look for something easy. Something that’s filling but can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. This salad is just such an option.
What makes this salad unlike most salads out there is that it’s a panzanella salad. A panzanella salad is a bread salad. But it’s not just bread. Yes, there’s usually a whole baguette involved, but there’s also lettuce and cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. There might even be steak or chicken, but it’s the bread that makes this salad a great choice for lunch or dinner because it’s the bread that makes it so filling. But my favorite thing about this salad is it’s a wonderful way to use up the rest of that baguette I always seem to have leftover from dinner a night or two before.
I know bread as a base for a salad sounds like an odd choice, but it actually works quite well. See, using the bread as a base turns it into more than something to simply spread butter on. The day-old bread is toasted in olive oil and salt and whichever herbs you choose so that it takes on the flavors you want. If you like vinaigrette for the dressing, use a vinaigrette. If you prefer a honey mustard dressing, use that. And if you prefer to grill the bread for a more smokey flavor, go for it. All those choices turn this bowl of tossed greens into something really special. Something that’s totally yours. And while I’ve made several panzanella salads, this one from Michael Symon and The Chew, has to be one of my favorites.
The dijon-basted chicken breast and the vinegar, dijon and honey-basted mushrooms combine to make a delicious, warm dressing. That dressing drenches the arugula and the toasted bread turning this salad into a delightful, delectable treat. It’s sweet and tangy and the chicken on top adds just the right amount of savory to tie the whole thing together. Now, I know I said there are nights that I don’t want to cook, and while grilling up a few pieces of chicken definitely qualifies as cooking, these breasts take a maximum of five or six minutes to cook. Five or six minutes is nothing. I mean, I barely consider that cooking. It’s definitely not a reason to shy away from this delicious meal. A meal I’d make again and again, especially on those nights when I don’t have a ton of time.
Ingredients
- 1 baguette, chopped up into uneven pieces
- 3/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
- 4 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 2 teaspoons thyme, minced
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cups arugula
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add the torn baguette, 1/4 cup olive oil, and garlic to a medium mixing bowl. Toss to thoroughly coat. Spread on a baking sheet and transfer the the oven, toasting until golden brown and crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside until ready to use.
- While the bread toasts, whisk 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Brush both sides of the chicken with the Dijon mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to a grill pan, and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saute pan over high heat. Working in batches, add the mushrooms and thyme. Cook, without moving, until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Flip mushrooms over and cook another 3 or 4 minutes.
- Add remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar, remaining Dijon mustard, honey, and 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and stir to combine, cooking for another minute.
- In a large bowl, add arugula and the mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to a large serving platter, top with the cooked chicken and serve!
