Chicken Panzanella Salad

I bought some fresh mozzarella this week and want to use it in a new recipe.  I found this recipe and it has lots of my favorite things in it so had to play with it.  The original recipe calls for olive bread and I didn’t want to make bread and can’t find olive bread around  here so made a spread for the croutons.  I think you will like it.  It is like a disassembled sandwich made into a salad.

½ of a crusty long baguette cut into 1 inch cubes

½ cup oil spread

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tbs. honey

2 tbs. apple cider vinegar

Kosher salt and black pepper

5 ounces baby arugula (about 6 cups)

2 cups sliced rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breasts

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

Heat oven to 350° F. On a baking sheet, toss the bread with the olive spread. Bake until golden and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes.  The recipe for an olive spread is below.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the arugula, chicken, mozzarella, and bread and toss to combine.

½ cup pitted black olives

½ cup pitted green olives

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 clove garlic

1 ½ tps. balsamic vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

Combine the pitted black olives, green olives, Kalamata olives, and garlic in the food processor. Pulse to chop and add balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Process until smooth. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight if possible, before serving.  It can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. 

Save the rest of your baguette and make small appetizers with it by slicing and putting the spread and a slice of mozzarella on it and put under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling and just starting to turn brown.

Variation – You can put the olive spread on the rotisserie or chicken breasts for extra flavor.

Wouldn't this go great with French onion soup?

Hope you have a great Monday, be happy and may God bless you and yours