Roasted Chicken Panzanella Salad

Preheat your oven to 350˚F.

Chicken

Combine the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and rub the entire chicken inside and out with the seasoning mix. Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it reaches 165˚F in the thickest part of the thigh near the bone.

Let cool then pull the meat off the bone and cut into bite sized pieces. Set it aside or refrigerate until needed.

Croutons

While the chicken is cooking, make the croutons. Cut the ciabatta into small cubes then toss them in a bowl with the olive oil and seasonings. Let sit for about 10 minutes, so the bread absorbs the oil. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and place them in the oven with the chicken. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the croutons from the oven and flip them over with a big spoon or spatula. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. The croutons should be golden and crunchy.

Dressing

To make your dressing, place all the ingredients except the oil in a small mixing bowl. Blend well with an immersion blender, or in a food processor. Slowly add the oil. Combine until the dressing is smooth and creamy in texture.

Lastly, combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and croutons and toss it all with the dressing. Serve this delicious salad family style or in individual large salad bowls. You can add a bit of basil chiffonade to the top to garnish. Pair with glasses of RhoneWolf White Wine!