Chicken Panzanella

Chicken Panzanella is made with toasted bread cubes, fresh tomatoes, red onion, basil, and fresh mozzarella tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This salad is full of flavor and makes a great dinner with minimal prep time for any night you need an easy meal!

I made this “salad” a couple of months ago and the family loved it. I threw it together one night after we’d eaten some Caprese paninis a few nights before. It had bread, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, and I tossed it in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

It was SO good! We ate it so fast that I didn’t take pictures or even write the recipe down. Or if I did, I have no idea where it disappeared to.

So, last night I did my best to recreate it. It was delicious and aside from the prep work of cutting those little tomatoes in half, it was pretty easy to put together!

A Taste of Italy

I thought I was being clever, coming up with this recipe on my own. Then I watched an old episode of Chopped and one of the contestants was making a bread salad with tomatoes and referred to it as Panzanella, and I realized I had just made my own version of a classic Italian dish!

Panzanella Toscana salad is a Tuscan dish. The name comes from a combination of “pane”, which is Italian for “bread”, and “zanella”, a name for the deep dish the salad is served in.

Traditional Panzanella is made from stale bread, onions, and ripe tomatoes, dressed in olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes cucumbers and basil are added, and of course, modern chefs like to add other ingredients to put their own spin on the recipe.

Ingredients for Chicken Panzanella

Here’s what you need to make this summer salad:

Italian Bread, preferably stale and cut into 1-inch cubes

Seasoned, cooked chicken

Red and yellow cherry tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite-size pieces

Olive oil

Fresh basil leaves, chopped

Red onion, minced

Capers

Balsamic Dressing

Balsamic vinegar

Olive Oil

Salt

Black pepper

Garlic, minced

The exact amount of each ingredient is included in the recipe card below!

Recipe Notes

I used one 8-ounce loaf of crusty bread and cut it up into 1-inch cubes.

You can use leftover grilled chicken breasts and cut them into pieces, chicken thighs, or even rotisserie chicken to make it easy! I seasoned my chicken before I cooked it with a tablespoon of McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning, but you could use anything you prefer to season your chicken.

How to make Panzanella Salad

This chicken tomato salad is so quick and easy to make! Here’s how:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut your bread into cubes with a sharp knife. I prefer to use slightly stale bread rather than fresh bread for this recipe.

In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with 1/4 cup olive oil. Combine well and then toss with another 1/4 cup olive oil.

Spread the bread cubes onto a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the bread is lightly golden brown.

Slice your tomatoes in half. Then, in a large bowl, combine chicken, red and yellow cherry tomatoes, basil, red onion, mozzarella, and capers. Mix in the toasted bread.

Pour the balsamic vinegar into the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and mix really well.

Pour over the salad and toss well.

I do believe this is one of my favorite meals I’ve made so far. What’s not to love? Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, bread, basil, the dressing, the chicken–I want more! And it’s super easy to make, too!

This will definitely be a regular on our summertime menu.

How to Store Leftover Salad

Store leftovers covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat within 24 hours, as the bread will become soggy.

What else can I add to Panzanella?

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try adding one or more of the following ingredients to your salad:

Lettuce

Olives

Anchovies

Chopped celery or carrots

Tuna (instead of chicken)

Hard-boiled eggs

Chopped bell peppers or snap peas

Lemon juice

Red wine vinegar

Parmesan cheese

Salami

Prosciutto

More Chicken Recipes

There’s such a variety of ways to have chicken in a meal. Here are a few more that are a huge hit with the 365 family!

Chicken-n-Dumplins

Chicken Picatta

Crockpot bbq Root Beer Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

Salad Recipes You’ll Love

These quick and easy salad recipes are perfect for a light summer meal or a nice side dish:

Italian Pasta Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Couscous Chicken Salad

Chicken Caesar Salad

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

Which salad will you make next time?

Way back in the day, I used to rate everything I made on a scale of 1 -4 and this Chicken Panzanella earned 4 rolling pins!
WhoopdeeDO!!!
I think your family will love it just as much as mine does.

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This post was originally published August 14, 2014. It has been updated in format and with pictures on August 14, 2024.

The post Chicken Panzanella appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.