Good Bread Good Meat Good God Let's Eat : Roast Chicken with Bread Salad

Friday, January 24, 2014

Recipe by: Safeway

Make the best of leftover bread by making an Italian-style salad to pair with thyme-garlic chicken breasts.

Servings: 4

1/4 pound Safeway SELECT Artisan French Bread

2 tablespoons Safeway SELECT Balsamic Vinegar, divided

1/4 cup Safeway SELECT Olive oil, divided

1/4 cup pine nuts

4 (7 ounce) boned chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

4 teaspoons minced or pressed garlic, divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 cups diced firm-ripe tomatoes

2 quarts lightly-packed arugula, rinsed and crisped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut bread into 1-inch chunks and spread in a single layer in a shallow 3-quart casserole (about 9 in. by 13 in.). Bake in a 450 degrees F oven, turning occasionally with a wide spatula until bread is crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Pour bread into a wide bowl; drizzle with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil, and mix.
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir or shake pine nuts until golden, about 3 minutes. Pour from pan.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Pat thyme and 2 teaspoons garlic onto skin side of chicken. Lay chicken, skin side up, in a single layer in the casserole. Bake in a 450 degrees F oven until chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 18 to 20 minutes.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons garlic, and green onions to frying pan. Stir over medium-high heat until vegetables are limp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; stir just until hot, about 2 minutes. Put arugula in bowl with bread; pour tomato mixture over arugula. Add pine nuts and mix well.
Spoon salad equally onto 4 serving plates. Lay 1 chicken breast half on each salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.