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Panzanella Toscana with Grilled Chicken (35 Min)

We’re grilling crusty bread, chicken and peppers for this Panzanella Toscana. Then tossing them with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, herbs and a zesty dressing to create a beautiful and delicious bread salad.

The ‘Toscana’ part of the dish’s name refers to the Tuscan origins of the dish. A traditional Italian Panzanella is a simple rustic bread salad made with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and stale Tuscan bread.

chicken panzanella salad in white bowl

Although stale, leftover bread is traditional, you can get a pretty similar (or better) taste and texture with grilled or toasted bread. That’s what we’re using in this recipe.

Adding grilled chicken turns the Panzanella Toscana salad into a full meal. Make it your own by experimenting with the flavors, dressings and ingredients you love. It’s a great way to use up your fresh garden veggies and herbs. 

Panzanella Toscana makes a wonderful lunch, dinner, potluck dish or side dish (without the chicken). Perfect for any spring or summer meal.

No outdoor grill? Need a vegetarian or dairy-free version? Need shortcuts? Read on. We’ve got these covered.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

chicken, tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, green onions, parsley, seasonings, bocconcini, baguette, vinaigrette, oil

Here are the main ingredients and a few suggestions for substitutions and variations you can try. But don’t be limited by this list – use whatever you like.

Bread

  • A rustic Italian Tuscan loaf is traditional. I use a multigrain artisan bread, a French baguette or ciabatta (I love olive ciabatta!).
  • Slightly stale bread and toasting or grilling the bread is the best way to make sure the bread absorbs the dressing and doesn’t get too soft.
  • Don’t use a regular soft fresh bread because it will become too mushy.

Tomatoes: Summer peak-season ripe tomatoes are ideal. If not in season, choose good cherry tomatoes, heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes. I love to use different colored tomatoes in the salad.

Vegetable and fruit options

  • In addition to tomatoes, I like to include cucumbers and green onions. Other good fresh vegetables you can try are roasted beets, cooked green beans, radishes, grilled zucchini and/or red onions.
  • Fruits add a wonderful sweetness and juiciness to a Panzanella salad. Try peaches (or grilled peaches), grapes, nectarines, pineapple, mango or pears.

Chicken: Use dark or white boneless chicken. You can, of course, skip the chicken if you want a vegetarian main dish or a side salad.

Vinaigrette dressing

  • The dressing is a key flavor booster. The traditional bread salad dressing is basically olive oil and red wine vinegar. I use a simple vinaigrette that often includes good-quality balsamic vinegar, garlic and Dijon.
  • Other good options are a Japanese Salad Dressing for an Asian twist, an Apple Cider dressing or Champagne Vinaigrette.

Garnish and add-ins – all optional

  • Fresh basil leaves are traditional. You can substitute other fresh herbs like thyme, chives, parsley, dill or tarragon. 
  • For an Italian flavor profile, use oregano, feta, capers, sundried tomatoes and/or olives.
  • Other add-ins: lemon zest, nuts, torn Mozzarella or Bocconcini.

Dietary choices

  • Replace the chicken with cubed tofu (or more veggies) for a vegetarian version.
  • For a dairy-free version, omit the cheese. 

Step-by-step instructions

chicken, bread, peppers on grill
Brush oil on chicken, bread and peppers. Season. Grill on medium-high. Chicken will take about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness.
chopped salad ingredients, bread, chicken on cutting board
Cut vegetables, chicken and bread into bite-size pieces.
dressing pouring onto panzanella in bowl
Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients. Place tomatoes and other salad ingredients with the chicken in a bowl. Pour dressing on Panzanella Toscana and toss together. 
panzanella tuscana salad with grilled chicken in white bowl.
Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to blend flavors. Transfer to a serving bowl if desired and add garnish like lemon zest, nuts, basil, and parsley.

Tips

Panzanella salad is best eaten in the summer when tomatoes and other vegetables are at their peak. Juicy, super-ripe tomatoes are amazing in a bread salad if you can get your hands on them.

Make sure you use crusty bread that will not turn soggy even when soaked in juices. Day-old bread helps. I prefer toasting or grilling. Yes, the bread cubes will get a bit soggy, but they still maintain some bite. If you really don’t like soggy bread, toss the Panzanella salad with the dressing just before serving. 

To avoid a watery salad, give the tomatoes a quick squeeze over the sink if they are particularly juicy before adding them to the salad. If using a regular cucumber, remove the seeds or use Japanese or English cucumbers. 

Shortcuts

  • Use a good quality bottled vinaigrette dressing. I don’t recommend creamy dressings. 
  • Buy and cut up a rotisserie chicken instead of grilling chicken.

What to serve with Panzanella Toscana

If you are including the chicken, you can certainly serve it on its own. Or perhaps with a nice chilled soup like sweet corn soup with herbs or a simple gazpacho – for a great summer combo.

If you are preparing the Panzanella Toscana as a side dish, skip the chicken and serve it with lemon garlic herb chicken, grilled marinated flank steak or roasted salmon stuffed with herbs.

You can serve the salad partially warm – with the chicken hot off the grill – or at room temperature or chilled.

Make Ahead

  • The Panzanella salad recipe can be made 1-2 hours ahead and left at room temperature to develop the flavors.
  • If you want less soggy bread cubes, make everything ahead but add the dressing just before serving. 
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for no more than one day (they will be soggy but still tasty). The fridge is not a Panzanella’s friend, but some of us still love next-day leftovers straight out of the container, standing over the counter :).

Recipe FAQs

Why is my Panzanella Toscana soggy?

There are a few reasons for a soggy Panzanella: too much dressing, using bread that is too soft (a heartier, sturdier toasted bread is best), and too much liquid released from juicy vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.

Is this recipe for Panzanella Toscana with chicken healthy?

Yes, the Panzanella Toscana recipe with chicken has good health benefits. It’s a full meal with a good amount of protein, fiber, vitamin A and iron. And it’s under 500 calories per serving.

How can I reduce the liquid from juicy tomatoes?

If your tomatoes are super juicy, cut them up, sprinkle on kosher and let them sit for 10-15 minutes to extract the juices. Then drain the tomatoes.

panzanella tuscana salad with grilled chicken in white bowl.

More Panzanella recipes

Or try our classic chicken salad recipe.

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

chicken panzanella salad in white bowl
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Panzanella Toscana with Grilled Chicken (35 Minutes)

We're grilling crusty bread, chicken and peppers for this Panzanella Toscana. Then tossing them with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, herbs and a zesty dressing to create a beautiful and delicious bread salad.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Rest time10 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 3 main dishes

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 pound chicken thighs or breasts boneless, skinless
  • 2 teaspoon olive oil (or mayonnaise)
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme to sprinkle on chicken

Bread

  • 4 ounce crusty bread, cut lengthwise into wedges or slices or Tuscan bread, ciabatta, baguette, multigrain
  • oil spray (or 2 tsp olive oil)
  • salt, black pepper, garlic powder

Salad (Note 1)

  • 1 cup tomatoes, cut into 1 inch/2.5cm pieces (or cut cherry tomatoes in half)
  • 1 cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded (if needed) and sliced 1/4 inch/0.6 cm (I use Japanese or English cucumbers – no need to take out seeds)
  • 1 red pepper, cut in 5-6 pieces, seeds removed
  • 3 green onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or shredded basil leaves (or other herbs)
  • 1/2 cup bocconcini or mozzarella, torn into pieces optional

Vinaigrette Dressing (Note 2)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 small clove
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or white or red wine vinegar or lemon juice)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste

Instructions

  • HEAT GRILL: Clean grill and wipe with a cloth or paper towel dipped in oil (or spray with oil before heating). Heat to medium high heat (about 425-450F/230C).
  • MAKE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING: Combine all ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine. Or place in lock-and-seal container and shake. Taste and adjust as needed. If too tangy, add a teaspoon of maple syrup.
  • PREPARE BREAD CUBES: Brush or spray bread slices/wedges with oil. Lightly sprinkle on salt, pepper and garlic powder.
  • PREPARE CHICKEN: Flatten the chicken on a cutting board with the bottom of a saucepan, mallet or heel of your hand. This will allow for even grilling. Rub oil on chicken. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder.
  • GRILL CHICKEN, BREAD, PEPPERS: Place chicken and peppers on grill. Grill 3-4 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces. Turn over. Grill another 3 minutes. Add bread and grill on cut side and crust side for a total of 3 minutes or until grill marks are showing. Check if chicken is cooked – instant thermometer will read 160F/71C (temp will rise with resting). Let chicken rest for 10 minutes. Cut bread into 1 inch/2.5cm cubes. Cut chicken and peppers into bite size pieces. Note 3 for no grilling.
  • ASSEMBLE: Add to large bowl the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, chopped green onions, bread, chicken and fresh basil or parsley (and cheese if using). Pour on dressing and toss to coat bread salad well. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed or a squeeze of lemon or zest. Transfer to a serving bowl if desired. Let set for 10 minutes to allow bread to absorb dressing and flavors to meld.

Recipe Notes

  1. Panzanella Toscana variations: 
    • Summer peak season ripe tomatoes are ideal. If not in season, choose good cherry tomatoes, heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes.
    • In addition to tomatoes and cucumbers, try roasted beets, cooked green beans, radishes, grilled zucchini and/or a red onion.
    • Fruits add a wonderful sweetness and juiciness to a panzanella salad. Try peaches (or grilled peaches), grapes, nectarines, pineapple, mango or pears.
  2. Vinaigrette Dressing and other flavor alternatives: Feel free to use your own favorite vinaigrette or even buy a good quality dressing. You will need about 1/4 cup/59 ml or just slightly more.
    • Other good options are a Japanese Salad Dressing for an Asian twist, an Apple Cider dressing or Champagne Vinaigrette.
    • For Italian flavors, try adding oregano, feta, capers, sundried tomatoes, anchovies and/or olives.
    • Herbs will also add great flavor. Basil is traditional. Alternatively, try fresh thyme, chives, parsley, dill or tarragon. 
  3. Alternative to grilling:
    • For bread cubes: Heat oven to 425F/218C. Place bread cubes, tossed with oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic powder on a pan. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. 
    • For chicken and peppers: Heat large non stick pan on stove to medium-high heat. Add chicken and peppers. Cook for 3-5 minutes on one side, depending on thickness of chicken. Turn and cook another 3 minutes or more on the other side until chicken reaches 160F/71C.
  4. Dietary Preferences: Replace the chicken with cubed tofu (or more veggies) for a vegetarian version. And for a dairy-free version, omit the cheese. 
  5. Make Ahead:
    • The panzanella salad recipe can be made 1-2 hours ahead and left on the counter to develop the flavors.
    • If you want less soggy bread cubes, make everything ahead but add the dressing just before serving. 
    • Leftovers will get a bit soggy in the fridge, but still taste good! It will keep in the fridge for a day. 
 
Nutrition values are estimates and will depend on type of chicken used, amount of dressing used, alternative veggies used, etc. Values are based on chicken breasts and no cheese added. 

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1008mg | Potassium: 916mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2083IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg
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