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Summer Panzanella Salad with Basil Pesto Chicken

This Panzanella salad with bursting ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, crispy ciabatta croutons, and homemade basil pesto chicken screams summertime. It's light, vibrant, refreshing, and makes for the perfect entrée or side dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 5
Course: dinner, lunch
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Panzanella Salad
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups torn ciabatta bread
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized chunks
  • 1/2 cup *vegan basil pesto see recipe below
  • 6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup red onion sliced thinly
  • 6 oz sliced mozzarella cheese or burrata
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil for serving
  • 1/2 cup *parmesan tahini dressing see recipe below
Vegan Basil Pesto
  • 1 cup basil
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp parsley
  • 1/3 cup *vegan parmesan cheese see recipe below or substitute regular parmesan
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
Vegan Parmesan Cheese (for vegan pesto recipe)
  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
Parmesan Tahini Dressing (from Half Baked Harvest)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method
 

Basil Pesto Chicken
  1. To make the vegan basil pesto, you will need to first make vegan parmesan cheese (skip this step if using regular parm). Combine the cashews, nutritional yeast, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until moist and crumbly. Set aside to use for the basil pesto.
  2. In a food processor combine 1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese and the rest of the vegan basil pesto ingredients and pulse until smooth.
  3. Chop up the chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and add them to a medium sized bowl. Add in the homemade vegan pesto and mix it together with a spoon. Cover and let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  4. After the chicken has marinated, heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a frying pan on medium to high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the marinated chicken and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Panzanella Salad
  1. To make the croutons, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the croutons and garlic, stirring occasionally or until golden brown (about 5 min). Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender if you prefer a smoother dressing. (whisking works just as well).
  3. To assemble the salad, add the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, red onion and toss with the dressing. Top it with pesto chicken, basil, and mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper.