So, my plan on having slow cooker meals on Tuesdays and salads on Thursdays isn’t working out so well. Inevitably, something happens and I have to swap them back. Like this Greek Panzanella Salad with Pan Searched Chicken. I completely forgot to take out beef for the slow cooker meal that I’ve been trying to perfect for a few weeks now. So, Tuesday morning I took out chicken to thaw for dinner that night. The best laid plans…

Not that we minded! This salad was delicious! I’ve been on a Greek kick recently. I’m making something Greek style this week, too. Stay tuned. You’re gonna LOVE it!

Anyway.

Who can resist kalamata olives, feta cheese, and crisp cucumbers? Oh no. Not you again. I’ll wait…thank you. As I was saying…. This salad would have been plenty without the chicken, but I know S needs a bit more protein that I do, so I pan seared the breast to go on top. This was half of my breast. I usually split it between dinner and lunch; ensuring that I only get roughly 4 ounces of protein in these meals. But I’m sure you’re not here for a nutrition lesson. *snort*

Can I just say, I’m so excited! My mom is coming to visit next week. Granted we’ll only get to spend an afternoon together, but still!! Yes, I know we were supposed to go there after we got married, but S has a crap job and well, he used up almost all of his available leave for the wedding. Yes, he only accrues 56 hours a year. I really hope he gets a new job, SOON! He’s applied to almost any and every job he can in this area. The only offer he has received required relocating and, well, we can’t do that.

But I digress. MOM is coming to visit!! YAY! On my way to a meeting last week, we passed the National Gallery of Art and I saw a banner for the Degas/Cassatt exhibit they have there. I thought to myself, “Since Mom left, I haven’t really seen many art exhibits. I miss that!” S isn’t a huge fan of art exhibits. I’d have to go by myself and, well, sometimes that just rather lonely. Just saying.

 

No, I won’t be cooking meals like this for Mom while she’s here. Which is too bad because this salad was DELICIOUS! And the dressing has just that little hint of lemon I love with Greek food.

 

However, when she’s away from the SD (step-dad) she likes to eat seafood of the shellfish variety. He’s Jewish, and they don’t eat shellfish. And when THEY go out to eat, they usually share an entrée. That’s why she usually likes to take S and I out to seafood restaurants. That way she can eat shrimp and crab legs and whatever else she feels the need to get out of her system. I’m sure I’d be the same way. LOVES me some shrimp and crab!!

 

I will, however, have to whip up a batch of macaron this weekend to give her when she’s here. She’s the reason they’ve been GORGEOUS lately. So, stay tuned for yet ANOTHER macaron recipe in the near future. Now that I have made two batches successfully, I want to keep making more and more of them to ensure consistent success. And I’ll keep making more and more salads, like this one! I need practice on those, too.

 

Greek Panzanella with Pan Seared Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Greek Panzanella with Pan Seared Chicken is amazingly delicious. It has all the elements of a panzanella salad, but with a Greek twist.

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Ingredients

• 4 cups day old bread, cubed
• 2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper
• 1 1/2 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 5 large Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces fat free feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 6 cups Romaine lettuce, torn
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 pound chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Spread the bread on a baking sheet coated with aluminum foil. Lightly sprinkle with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake at 400 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned but still soft.
3. Combine the next six ingredients (bell pepper through olives) in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Divide the romaine evenly between 4 serving plates and set aside.
5. Combine the next nine ingredients (vinegar through onion powder) and blend well with a whisk or shake well to combine in a salad dressing cruet. Allow to set 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Preheat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from heat and allow to rest.
7. Add the bread cubes to the vegetable mixture and toss with the dressing. Top the Romaine with 3 or 4 cups of the bread mixture. Thinly slice each chicken breast and arrange on top of the salad.