Mediterranean Salad with Crispy Chicken

Thinly sliced chicken breast cooks up quickly in a pan and tops a salad made with mixed greens of your choice, roasted red peppers, pepperoncino, tomatoes and cucumber. Top with this super simple dressing that you’ll be making over and over.

For this salad, you can use whatever greens you have on hand. I do a mix of romaine and Tuscan kale, but you could do spinach, a spring mix, or whatever else you like. You could even add quinoa for extra protein.

Assemble greens, feta, tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncini peppers, and top with pan-fried crispy chicken cutlets.

Then dress with this amazing vinaigrette for a light and delicious meal!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 romaine hearts, chopped.

• 1/2 bunch Tuscan kale

• 1/2 cucumber, chopped

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup crumbled feta (I always buy it in brine and crumble right before serving)

• 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers (for heat, optional if you don’t want it)

• 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar), chopped

• 3 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise (or use a meat mallet to pound them into 1/2 inch thickness

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

• salt and pepper

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup EVOO

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• pinch red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Assemble your salad ingredient and set aside in the fridge to stay cold

2. Preheat oven to 200 F (this is just to keep your chicken warm after you fry it)

3. Season your chicken filets with salt and pepper on both sides.

4. Whisk your eggs in a shallow dish. In a plate, add your bread crumbs. This will be your breading station.

5. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a couple tablespoons of oil. Allow it to heat for a couple minutes.

6. Working in batches, add a piece of chicken to the eggs, and then over to the bread crumbs patting it so it is well-coated with the breading.

7. Carefully lay the chicken piece by piece in your pan, leaving at least an inch it between each piece. Crowding a pan will make your chicken steam instead of fry and you will wind up with soggy chicken. Take your time and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through. Use a thermometer to check for doneness but if sliced thin enough, they will cook quite quickly. Remove to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the other pieces.

8. Once everything is done, slice your chicken into thin strips and serve over your salad with the dressing

   Dressing: whisk dressing ingredients together. If you like a more tart dressing, add the second half of lemon.