Rustic Roasted Chicken Salad |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 220 |
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A hearty salad that can serve as a meal or be added to potluck with the best of friends. This is picnic at its best. Robust flavors brought to life by Roasting the Fresh Vegetables. Hints of smoky flavor from the thick cut bacon, jazz up the simple chicken. Ingredients:
1 chicken breast for every 2 people being served. i usually use boneless/skinless for this unless i am going to cook them over a wood fire. then i would use skin on and bone in |
1 slice thick cut bacon (apple smoked or maple will add another flavor level). choose a bacon that you love the taste of. |
the amounts of the vegetable you use depend upon how many people you are feeding. for only 2 i would use 1/2 of each color of bell pepper for example. for 8 i would probably use a whole or nearly whole bell pepper. |
red, green, yellow, orange bell peppers, cored, seeds removed, sliced into strips. |
vidalia onions (sweet and mild) or red onions (zing) cut into strips |
yellow and green squash cut slightly thick then in half |
asparagus cut into 1 1/2 inch bites |
cherry or grape tomatoes |
garlic cloves left whole for now |
mushrooms (your favorite type, of course!) |
fresh green beans |
broccoli and cauliflower can be used too; but make them bite sized pieces |
olive oil (have at least a cup or two available depending on how many you are cooking for. you need this to roast the vegetables and for making your croutons!) |
day old french or italian bread cut up into good sized bites, bigger than what would come in a box of croûtons, i cut it up 1 1/2 to 2 inches. |
fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese |
garlic granules, fresh cracked pepper, italian seasonings...or fresh marjoram, basil and thyme, (cut up the basil into small bits) |
some times i'll add some peas and corn to this as well. also optional would be a couple of boiled eggs... |
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper (white pepper could be added, but it is going to add a significant jolt in the heat/pepper pop department!) |
Directions:
1. To keep my life simple and remain on the good side of the dish washer (usually our son, since the House Rule is: the cook does not do dishes...and we have no dish washing machine) I line all pans with foil for easy clean up! If you are cooking for more than 2 people you'll probably need at least 3 cookie sheets.
2. Start by rinsing off each piece of chicken, pat dry and wrap each chicken breast with a strip of bacon. You can either roast it in the oven at 350 till it's done, about 40 minutes or so or you could even grill them over a wood fire if you are set up to do this. (This adds a great smoky flavor) But, remember a boneless/skinless breast will dry out easily, so you have to keep an eye on it the whole time if cooking over wood. Oven roasting lets you play with the cutting of the vegetables while the chicken roasts!
3. Wash up and pat dry, then cut up all vegetables that need to be cut up.
4. Pour some olive oil on your foil lined cookie sheets. Add some of your sliced up vegetables. Do NOT crowd them too tightly..a bit of room is good for even roasting. Use your hands to smear them in the olive oil, adding a bit more if you need to so that they are lightly coated and spread out. Sprinkle with some Kosher Salt and fresh cracked Black Pepper. The different trays of vegetables go in as you pull out the chicken.
5. I like to keep the chicken wrapped in foil to keep it warm and even slip it back into the oven the last few moments that the croûtons are baking if I want it warm.
6. Roast the Vegetables at 350 to 400 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes depending upon the heat in YOUR oven. While they are roasting, and it usually take me more trays than just one session since we no longer have two ovens...doing 2 trays at a time and rotating them the current way...I start working on the croûtons!
7. Using a bowl that will allow you some room to toss your Croutons, pour in some olive oil to lightly coat the bread that comes at the end. Fresh grated cheese (s) Italian herbs or herbs of choice, garlic granules OR fresh finely chopped garlic! MIX WELL. Add the bread and use your hands to toss it all together until the bread is nicely coated. Turn this out onto yet another foil lined cookie sheet. Roast/toast it at 350 to 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes..WATCHING IT with care as you want the pieces to be slightly soft, with crunch..not tooth breaking hard! Slightly starting to turn a golden brown is about right.
8. Mince up your roasted garlic cloves to throw in too!
9. Rip up your lettuces...Romaine, Red leaf, Green leaf, anything BUT iceberg...don't insult your mouth or nutritional needs with that stuff. You can throw in some baby spinach too to beef up the nutritional value.
10. Cut up the Roasted chicken breasts on the bias, thinly, break up the bacon or cut it; and start adding everything to your huge salad bowl...greens, meat, roasted veggies...Toss...(add sliced and broken boiled eggs if you want them too); and lastly the homemade croûtons...some thin shaved cheese Parmesan or Romano are good (the cooking adds a slightly different flavor quality to the cooked cheese on the croûtons).
11. Although we have a fairly diverse number of different dressings for salad, I generally stick to a good Balsamic type, but use what pleases you most, that's what it's all about after all!
12. I've probably made this at least 8 times or more since I first created it in 2005. Smaller amounts for just the three of us, insane amounts for parties or neighborhood gatherings of about 30 or more...WE eat it as DINNER with some crusty hot bread, but it serves as a robust salad for pot luck picnics very well. Do not be surprised if your friends start looking for more (extra) croûtons...lol Cheese + Garlic...what can I say...my friends and those I cater for on occasion love cheese and garlic! I say, if you like it, make it yours, play with the different veggies you love, add more or less or NO meat...I haven't tried it with Tofu yet, but I'll bet it could be done.
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