Panzanella Recipe with Tomatoes and Pesto Vinaigrette
Utilize all of your ingredient leftovers in this delicious Panzanella Recipe with Tomatoes and Pesto Vinaigrette. Add a grilled chicken breast to change things up!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesminutes
Total Time: 35 minutesminutes
Ingredients
For the Salad:
1loaf of French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
1cupof assorted colored cherry tomatoes sliced in half
3stalks of sliced celery
1/2seeded and thinly sliced cucumber
2pitted and sliced peaches
2cupsof arugula
2cupsof spring mix
1/2cupof Feta or goat cheese crumbles
2chicken breasts
4tablespoonsof olive oil
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the Pesto Vinaigrette:
2packed cups of fresh basil leaves
juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 to 1/2cupof olive oil
1/4cupof grated Parmesan cheese
1tablespoonsof pine nuts
3tablespoonsof water
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
Coat the chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and grilled on a hot grill until cooked through. Once cooked remove from the grill and let rest.
Next, coat the cubed French bread with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a hot grill or in the oven on 400° to quickly toast the outside of the bread. Note: you are not making croutons, just toasting the outside.
In a food processor or Vitamix, add in the basil leaves, lemon juice, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese and quickly pulse for 5 seconds. Next, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing becomes emulsified. Finish with water, salt, and pepper to make a pesto vinaigrette.
In a large bowl add in the toasted bread, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, peaches, arugula, spring mix, feta, a few tablespoons of the pesto vinaigrette, salt, and pepper and toss until coated.
Slice the chicken and serve on top of the salad.
Notes
Chef Notes:
Ingredients for panzanella salad can vary depending on what was available.
This should resemble more a vinaigrette and not pesto itself so it needs to be emulsified but loose.
If cooking the bread, remember you are not making croutons, you are just trying to lightly toast it. If you are using day old bread, just simply cut into cubes and leave as is.