The fresh salad recipe that marries sweet and savory in the best way. Peach panzanella salad is a main course salad thanks juicy cooked chicken breasts (instructions included!) and big crispy chunks of toasted bread. A sriracha honey dressing seals the deal for a zesty and easy summer salad recipe you won't soon forget!
I've been on a bread salad kick. Also known as a panzanella kick. This peach panzanella salad comes to you right on the heels of publishing this summer ,panzanella salad and truth be told, if I came to your house and you served both of them...together...I wouldn't be one bit mad.
In fact, I'd think you were the smartest person in the world.
Panzanella: defined
So a quick reminder on what a panzanella is. It's essentially a bread salad where the bread is either toasted or torn and tossed with ripe juicy tomatoes, sometimes onions, sometimes cheese like fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil.
Why this panzanella salad is peachy
When it comes to eating fruit, I love to pair it with savory ingredients. The pairing of salty and sweet is the bees-knees and tossing summer-ripe peaches with salty feta cheese and juicy chicken is the perfect combination!
⇢ Other easy salad recipes like this you'll ♥️: caramelized vegetable panzanella, blueberry feta salad or these amazing whipped ricotta and fig crostini. Or add some fresh strawberries to this simple arugula salad and watch the people around you smile.
Ingredient Call-outs
The best salad dressing for peach and chicken panzanella salad
Also used in my jalapeno and apple slaw, shake up this sriracha honey dressing to make the peaches sing. It soaks into the toasted Italian bread cubes in the best way!
- sriracha
- honey
- equal parts of olive oil and white vinegar
- salt and pepper
How to make peach panzanella
Chicken Tip
Don't have time to cook chicken breasts? Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred or cube the breast. Easy!
FAQ's and all you need to know
Can I make the panzanella bread cubes ahead?
Yes! Toast the bread cubes the morning you plan to serve the salad and leave them right in the pan. Don't put a lid or cover them to avoid them getting soft. You can also lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan to air dry.
What is the best kind of bread for panzanella salad?
I recommend anything with a firm but not too hard of a crust. This isn't the time to use a really hard crusted bread. This is a great use for leftover focaccia bread and making a bread salad recipe like this one is a great way to use it up! Feel free to use a whole wheat or sourdough bread too or even leftover focaccia
What other fruit would work besides peaches?
Any summer stone fruit would be wonderful in this peach bread salad like nectarines. Plums or fresh apricots would be great too!
Made this recipe?
I'd love it if you'd share your review and leave a star rating and comment!
📖 Recipe
Peach Panzanella Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ loaf of Italian bread, cubed into 2” cubes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cooked chicken breasts , shredded. Cooked using foolproof chicken method or from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- 4 peaches, sliced thin
- 4 oz feta cheese, or more; cubed or crumbled
- 10 oz arugula , or 2-3 big handfuls
- chili roasted pistachios, for garnish
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1-2 cloves depending on the size
- ½ shallot, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and once heated, add the olive oil. Once hot, add cubed bread and sprinkle with kosher salt. Allow the bread cubes to toast for a couple minutes and then start tossing. Keep an eye on the bread and allow them to toast until golden brown for 6-8 minutes. Set aside.½ loaf of Italian bread, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add bread to large serving bowl. Top with chicken, peaches, arugula, and feta cheese2 cooked chicken breasts, 4 peaches, 4 oz feta cheese, 10 oz arugula
- Mix dressing ingredients in a small measuring cup and whisk until combined. Taste for seasoning. You can also shake this up in a mason jar or bottle.⅓ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Drizzle half of the dressing over and toss. Add the rest as needed. Sprinkle/garnish with pistachios.chili roasted pistachios
Notes
- Toast the bread cubes the morning you plan to serve the salad and leave them right in the pan. Don't put a lid or cover them to avoid them getting soft. You can also lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan to air dry.
- Mix the dressing up to 3 days ahead.
- Slice the peaches the day you plan to serve.
- Toss salad with ½ the dressing and then the rest before serving or to taste.
About Lori Murphy
Lori has over 30 years in the food industry as a marketing strategist, culinary instructor and chef for three kids with discerning palates. As the chief content creator at Josie + Nina, Lori is dedicated to helping home cooks create food memories through fresh ingredients and Italian flavors.
Had this two days ago at book club and …OMG!! Making it for dinner tomorrow night because I’ve been thinking about the yumminess! Awesome, summery salad!
Yippppeee Laura! Thanks so much - I probably could it it once a week!😊
Loved the peach panzanella salad! It was absolutely delicious!! Thanks, Lori, for sharing!
Katherine thank you so much!! Made my day that you enjoyed it 😊
Ever since I enjoyed this salad I've been dreaming of it! It is the best salad I have ever had, restaurant meals included! I will be making this for years to come. Thank you for such an excellent recipe!
So happy you loved it Melissa! 😊 I'm going to add the idea for the gluten free English muffins to the post for the cubed bread. I liked them as much as Italian bread! Thanks for taking the time to share ♥️
WHOA!!! This peach panzanella salad blew us away. We made it for an easy and light summer lunch.. I wasn't even hungry and ate a ton of it because it was SO incredible. 5 stars!
You made my day! I totally get what you're saying because I can't stop eating the croutons once I start! Thank you for taking the time to share 😊
This is such a perfect summer recipe! I love how easy it is to make and I can't get enough of the flavors!
Thank you Becca!😊 Ease is what summer recipes are all about and I'm with you...I can't get enough either!
Thank you for this recipe. I confess...I've always wanted to try a panzanella salad, but I've avoided them because I fear the bread will soften/get soggy after adding the dressing. (Or even that the bread would get soggy even if adding AFTER the dressing). It's a textural thing for me...I truly dislike mushy bread. So, my question is: do the toasted bread cubes get super soggy? Or do they at least remain firm in the centre??
Hi Janice! You are welcome! And thanks so much! What I love about this recipe is that the way the croutons are cooked (thanks Ina Garten for the inspo!) toasts them up and then the dressing does make them softer but in the best way. I love the texture and find myself digging into the croutons over and over!
Give it a try -and please let me know what you think. If you plan to make it ahead, I do suggest using 1/3-1/2 the dressing before you serve it and more after. It does make more than you need so I’d err on the conservative side to keep the bread not too saturated.