Name: Grilled Chicken with Panzanella Salad
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 1 red onion , sliced into 1/4-inch rounds; 4 (1-inch-thick) slices Italian bread; 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds); Salt and pepper; 3 ripe tomatoes , cored and chopped; 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

We are always on the lookout for inventive chicken recipes that can be prepared on the grill. Our Grilled Chicken with Panzanella Salad recipe pairs grilled chicken breasts with a classic Italian summer salad of stale bread, tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs. Brushing all the components that go onto the grill—the onion slices, the bread, and the chicken breasts—with a homemade garlic oil boosted their flavor and ensured they didn’t stick to the grates. We grilled the onion, then the bread, and finally the chicken so we could give each component our full attention. Patting the chicken dry with paper towels before cooking ensured that it got a proper sear. We found wet chicken stuck to the grill and cooked improperly.

Before You Begin

Any variety of ripe summer tomato can be used here.

Instructions

Combine oil and garlic in bowl and microwave until bubbling and fragrant, about 1 minute. Brush onion slices with 1 tablespoon oil mixture and grill over hot fire until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl. Brush bread with 1 tablespoon oil mixture and grill over hot fire until crisp and golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to cutting board.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon oil mixture and season with salt and pepper. Grill over hot fire until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and tent with foil.

Add tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and remaining oil mixture to bowl with grilled onions and toss to combine. Cut bread into 3/4-inch chunks, then fold into tomato mixture. Transfer chicken and tomato salad to individual plates. Serve.