Pan-Seared Chicken with Chopped Salad

Simply seasoned, pan-seared followed by a short roast in the oven, leaving you with a tender piece of chicken, golden brown and loaded with flavor. Top it with an extraordinary medley of color from the garden and you’ve got an unbelievable meal that’s really easy!

Boneless chicken breasts are great to keep on hand, stashed in your freezer for a quick dish. They cook in no time and can be transformed in a number of ways. But this has long been a favorite method of mine when I want to lighten things up and have limited time to cook.

I’ve used this method for years. It’s similar to the way I fix pork chops and steaks – a brush with rich olive oil followed by a generous seasoning of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. But a trick I learned that makes a big difference in cooking boneless chicken breasts – gently pound the seasoned chicken to a thin and even piece of meat.

I also let the meat have a short rest before cooking – about 15 minutes. This allows the seasoning to do its trick and takes a bit of the internal chill out of the chicken helping the meat to cook evenly.

For the chopped salad you want a crisp lettuce, something like a romaine or iceberg.

Then grab your favorite vegetables and give them a quick chop into small pieces. The idea is to grab a little bit of everything on your fork, leaving an explosion of taste with each bite.

Most pre-packaged chicken breasts are packed three to a package – and no, I have no idea why! To feed more than three, slice the chicken after it’s cooked – you’ll have plenty for 4 people. There are really no big rules when it comes to this salad. Add as much or as little as you like, or spread the vegetables out onto a platter and let everyone help themselves!

Throw in some creamy, crumbled blue cheese and toss with your favorite dressing. Nestle the cold, beautiful salad on top of the warm chicken and serve!

Pan-Seared Chicken with Chopped Salad

For the chicken:

2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the salad:

The ingredients for the salad can be tweaked to suit your taste!

5 to 6 large Romaine leaves, chopped

1 to 1-½ cups chopped broccoli

1 to 1-½ cups chopped cauliflower

1 to 1-½ cups chopped tomatoes, about 8 to 10 small tomatoes

1 to 1-½ cups chopped avocados, about 1 to 2 large avocados

1 to 1-½ cups chopped cucumbers

½ to ¾ cup chopped red onion

1 to 1-½ cups chopped mushrooms, about 6 to 8 mushrooms

½ to ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

4 to 5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Plus your favorite dressing for serving

Coat both sides of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Generously sprinkle each piece with the kosher salt and pepper on both sides.

Place the chicken breasts between double sheets of waxed paper. Set them on a large sturdy surface and using a flat mallet pound the chicken until each piece of chicken is even and about ½” thick. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before cooking.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken until golden on each side, about 5 minutes per side.

Finish cooking the chicken in a 350-degree oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cover the chicken with foil. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes while you finish the salad.

Place the chopped romaine in a large serving bowl along with the chopped vegetables and the crumbled blue cheese. Add the salad dressing and toss to mix well.

To serve:

Place a chicken breast on a serving plate and top with a generous amount of the chopped salad. You can also slice or chop the chicken and serve it on top of the salad or toss it into the salad.

Serves 3 to 4.

Many packaged boneless chicken breasts are three to a pack, so serve three with a whole chicken breast or slice the chicken and portion it out to serve 4. You can toss everything in a large bowl or spread everything out on a platter and let your guests customize their own plate.The ingredients for the salad can certainly be tweaked to suit your taste.