Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

There was an interesting article in the most recent Food Network magazine that took favorite dishes and turned them into salads. This salad was created to taste like Parmesan Chicken. The recipe states that it serves 4, but I doubled it and had enough for four adults with a little left over (I guess my family eats a lot). Salads are usually a healthier option and can be doubled or tripled easily to feed a small crowd, as long as you have a large salad bowl!

Ingredients
• 1 plum tomato, halved
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 8 cups Italian-blend salad greens or baby arugula
• 8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered

Directions
Preheat a grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a blender, drizzling in the sun-dried tomato oil until smooth. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed; season with salt and pepper. This pureed tomato mixture will act as the salad dressing so if you add extra salad greens, it is important to double this mixture as well.



Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make four 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.


Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon parmesan and the parsley and cook until toasted, about 1 more minute.


Toss the salad greens and remaining basil in a large bowl.


Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the greens along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, and then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.



This salad is perfect for a nice summer evening. It is a great take on Parmesan Chicken, so if you are a big fan, I suggest you try this salad.