Weeknight Dinner – Warm Venetian Salad

During the week, I like to have some easy, but fun recipes in my back pocket. This salad checks all of the boxes…lots of greens, cheese, bread, nuts, fruit and protein. I originally saw this in a Rick Stein cookbook, called, “Rick Stein, from Venice to Istanbul”. I tweaked the cooking method for the chicken, as well as the dressing and a few of the ingredients, but the concept of variety and the element of the warm chicken remains.

The ingredients

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts – pounded on thicker end to create uniform size, if needed

Salt and Black Pepper

2 Tbsp. Olive or Grapeseed oil – divided

2 cloves garlic

2 green onions, or 1/2 small onion diced

2 slices of hefty sourdough bread – cut to 1 inch cubes

4 slices prosciutto cotto – cut into strips

6 ounce of leafy greens. This Tanimura & Antle Artisan lettuce is great, as it comes in 4 heads of varied types. Local is always, best, but this brand has not disappointed me

2 Tbsp. pine nuts – toasted

4 ounce Mozzarella pearls – My grocery store typically has the Galbani pearls in water

1 ripe pear or alternatively peach, plum or apple

Instructions

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts liberally. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in sauté pan. When oil begins to shimmer, cook the chicken for 4 or so mins per side. Both sides should be nicely browned and the inner temp, with a thermometer, should be about 155. It will continue to cook once out of the pan, so will hit > 160 degrees. The key is not to overcook so you have super, juicy, delicious chicken!

While chicken is cooking, toast pine nuts in dry pan until browned and fragrant. Keep an eye here, they burn quickly

Assemble the greens, nuts, pear, prosciutto, and mozzarella pearls

Once chicken is out of the pan, add the remaining Tbsp. of oil, garlic and onion. Sauté until just soft. Add in the sourdough and coat with the garlic, onion mixture. Allow the bread to get nicely toasted, as you’d expect a crouton to be. Add additional oil, if necessary

Add bread to salad and toss. Slice chicken and set over or to side of the salad. Serve with additional olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Voila!