Y’all already know this, but anything involving carbs or bread – I am THERE. Especially when it’s not supposed to be there, I.e., in salads. But that’s where the wonderful Italian creation of Panzanella Salad steps in. A fantastic and carb-loaded way to use up any stale bread (or just not-stale bread). What is Panzanella you ask? Well, pan and pane mean bread in many languages like Spanish and Italian, so obviously you know this dish is going to be DELISH, just based on the name! But, of course, in Chef Pri fashion, I needed to change it up. I combined a great array of winter veggies and spices with crusty garlic-rubbed bread to create a truly one-of-a-kind panzanella salad! The combo of carrots, cucumber and jalapeños might sounds weird, but as one of my ever-so-clever TikTok followers pointed out – it’s like a Bahn Mi-inspired Panzanella Salad! And the easiest part is – there’s barely any chopping! You’ll see why below, hehe.

As always with food (which is also why I love traveling and learning about cultures through food), we have a similar dish called Bread Usli, which uses stale bread that is sautéed with turmeric, curry leaves, black mustard seeds, spices, onions – the works – and served as a warm salad (that’s the best way I can describe it in English). So, the world is much smaller than we think and can see that just through food!

Oh, and this recipe is going semi-viral on Instagram and TikTok, so you better hurry up and make it! You won’t be disappointed and honestly, it’s healthier than you think! This is a perfect light weeknight dinner or hearty lunch to hold you over for the day! And just a little tip – if you want to prepare this ahead of time, all you have to do is prepare the dressing separately and pack the prepared produce separately and just combine it altogether when you’re ready to eat! I do advise to toast up the bread right before serving though, so it’s extra crisp! Texture is everything, duhhhh! Also – this dish is incredibly easy to scale up and serve as an appetizer at a dinner party. The possibilities are endless, my friends!

SPICY DIJON PANZANELLA SALAD🍞🥕🥒🌶🍯🥬 :
(serves 2)

• 1 medium orange carrot
• 1 small Persian cucumber
• 1 jalapeño 
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard 
• 1 clove grated garlic + 1 extra clove sliced in half
• 2 tbsp Meli Bio Inc vegan honey or light agave 
• pinch of kosher salt & black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 6-7 pieces of vegan chicken – Daring
• 4-5 slices sourdough or Italian loaf
• fresh basil for garnish
• handful unsalted almonds for garnish
• 1-2 cups baby arugula for plating – AeroFarms

1. Prepare the veggies – using a vegetable peeler, peel off outer skin of carrot and set aside for compost. Then just continue peeling until you have thin ribbons. Peel and cucumber and jalapeño in the same manner, but no need to discard the outer skin. Set aside.

2. Prepare dressing – in a large bowl, add in mustard, grate in garlic, honey, pinch of kosher salt, pinch of black pepper and 1/2 tsp red chili flakes. Mix with a whisk and while whisking, stream in olive oil and mix vigorously until combined and thick. Add in the ribboned vegetables, mix thoroughly with your hands and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. While veggies are marinating, prepare vegan chicken and bread. In a non-stick skillet, add in a tsp of light olive oil and once hot, add in thawed vegan chicken. Sear on both side for 3-4 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove. In the residual oil, toast up the bread until golden brown and add in more oil if necessary. Remove and immediately rub with garlic. Cool completely.

4. Once the bread and chicken are cooled, cube up into 1 inch pieces and add to the veggie mixture. Toss gently with your hands making sure everything is coasted. Add in the almonds, toss. Top with fresh torn basil. Serve over baby arugula. Eat immediately. Enjoy!