Chicken Salad with Smoked Pancetta, Tomatoes & Arugula
Insalata di Pollo, Pancetta, Pomodoro, Rucola e Pane
By Biba Caggiano, author of
From Biba's Italian Kitchen
Photo by Regina Orlando.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Four 6 ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 slices of smoked pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 to 3 slices ½-inch thick country bread, grilled or toasted and torn into chunks
2 to 3 cups arugula
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
Preparation
Place chicken in a large bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and toss with about half of the olive oil. Marinate for about 1 hour.
Grill the chicken about 4 minutes per side or until it reads 165 on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board, cool and refrigerate until ready to use. When you are ready to use, cut chicken into strips.
Heat 1 tablespoon of remaining oil in non-stick pan and fry pancetta until crisp. Pat dry on paper towels.
Place chicken, bread, pancetta, arugula and tomatoes into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, toss with remaining oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.
Biba Caggiano is an award winning cookbook author. She serves up the menus and recipes at Biba Restaurant, her famous Italian restaurant in Sacramento, CA. For more information visit www.biba-restaurant.com.