Chicken Panzanella Salad

Ingredients

• 5 cups torn bread pieces
• 1/4 cup chicken drippings or chicken stock
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup basil, torn
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Coarse salt
• 6 to 8 mini sweet peppers or shishito peppers
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Toast the bread: If you have very stale, crunchy bread, you don't need to toast your bread. Just tear it into pieces. If you are using fairly fresh bread, spread the pieces out on a baking sheet in a single layer, then toast at 400˚F for about 10 minutes.
2. Dress the bread: When the bread is toasted, spread the pieces on a large serving platter in a single layer or close to it. Drizzle with chicken drippings or chicken stock.
3. Assemble the salad: Spread the shredded chicken evenly over the bread. Do the same with the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and basil. Drizzle the whole salad with the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and sprinkle with coarse salt.
4. Make the blistered peppers (DAD ADD, optional): In a small or medium skillet, add a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and let sit, untouched, for 3-4 minutes or until the peppers start to blister. Then turn them all over and let them blister on the other side for a few minutes. Remove the peppers from the skillet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Chop and serve on top of the panzanella salad!
5. Salad leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.