Intro

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt

 

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt

*A winner has been selected and notified. Thank you so much for entering!

It seems perfectly fitting to end our Summer Grilling Series (check out the first two recipes: Grilled Rib-Eye, Salmon Burgers) on our official last day of summer. Tomorrow the kids head back to school.

I thought I was prepared for it. Mentally I mean, I’m not prepared in the least for school lunches, clothes, supplies, etc. I thought I was ready for quiet, for cooler weather and for a house to myself during the day. Then last night I laid in bed afraid of the quiet as I thought back on our summer days; lazy, loud, filled with probably far too much screen time, easy and relaxed.

It’s good though, to wander in to the next season while still lamenting the last. And just because school is almost in session doesn’t necessarily mean summer is done. We still have the warm evenings, the long weekend days and the grill hasn’t been tucked into storage yet.

In this final grilling video I’m smoking chicken on a gas grill. This technique can be used for any meat or vegetable. Here I’m using Airline chicken breasts which have the skin on and include the little drumstick so you get more flavor from the bone and a bit of dark meat. After having tried these they are the only chicken breasts I want to cook with as they stay so tender and have incredible flavor which seems rare in a chicken breast.

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt

 

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt
Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt

If you have already put away the grill you could still make the Panzanella and call it a meal. It is hearty yet still fresh as it is loaded with tomatoes and fresh herbs. The perfect sort of meal to gracefully exit one season while eagerly expecting the next.

The kind folks at Porter & York (the sponsors of this series) have put together a Not Without Salt box so you can get all of the meat featured in the video series. I got so giddy at the idea I decided to buy a box for one of you. So if you’re interested in receiving a box filled with quality meat right to your front door just leave a comment below. I’ll pick a winner on Friday (September 5) and have it shipped to you shortly after.

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella // Not Without Salt

Thanks again to Porter & York for sponsoring these posts.

 

Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella

This will be the summer known as the one I discovered smoking on a gas grill. It’s so easy and gives food that classic bbq flavor. It should be noted that in the video I say the chicken took an hour – which it did but I recommend you start checking after 30 minutes. The chicken can be a touch under done when you take it out of the smoke as you give it one final sear for a bit of char.

Serves 6-8

 

6 airline chicken breasts (buy them at Porter & York)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

4 cups wood chips (like hickory), soaked for at least 30 minutes in an aluminum tray

 

Chorizo Panzanella

 

8 cups rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes bread

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 large tomatoes, chopped

½ large spanish onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½  pound dried chorizo, chopped in ½ -inch pieces

¾ cup roughly chopped pitted green olives

1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup arugula

 

For the chicken:

Remove the grate on the left side of the grill and add the wood chips. Replace the grate.

Turn on all the burners on high and let heat for 15 – 20 minutes. Then set up the grill for indirect grilling by turning off the middle burners

Place the chicken on the middle burner, where the heat is off, then smoke for 30-45 minutes or until just cooked through.

Remove the chicken and the wood chips, turn up the grill on high then sear the chicken just until nice charred grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side.

Set aside to rest while you assemble the panzanella.

 

For the Panzanella:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper.  Spread onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Toss bread with sherry vinegar, chopped tomatoes, onion, dried oregano, chorizo, olives, cilantro, basil and arugula. Let this sit for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour to let the bread soften and the flavors meld.

Serve panzanella with smoked chicken breasts.

204 Responses to “Smoked Chicken & Chorizo Panzanella + giveaway”

  1. Molly LeGoy

    Ooooh! What fun! I’ve always wanted to try one of these services where the food gets delivered to your door. Sign me up for the contest for sure! 🙂

    • Sylvia D.Camarena

      “Pick me, Pick me, oh my goodness I just graduated from Culinary School last month! I am so excited trying new recipes for my family of four. I cannot afford quality meats, but would love the chance to win a box of Porter & York meats. Love Love Love your blog along with your food photography! I’m always looking at your blog for inspiration. Absolutely amazing…

  2. Amy Gifford

    I love anything with chorizo! And pick me! I want to make this this weekend!

  3. Michelle Weller

    I loved your Porter & York series this summer. I let the summer pass without trying your first two recipes but I’m going to have to give this one a try. Especially, the chorizo panzanella. It looks incredible.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Enjoy the last wonderful days of summer!
    -Michelle

  4. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    Loving all the fresh flavours and vibrant colours going on in this panzanella. I have never made a panzanella with both chicken and chorizo before.. it’s definitely something that I need to make. Looks incredibly delicious!

  5. Stephanie

    Grilling meat intimidates me…but you make it seem so easy!! Excited to try this recipe.

  6. Portia

    The box sounds incredible! If I’m lucky enough to win, the only person happier than me will be my carnivorous boyfriend! (Fortunately for me, he’s a grill master, too)

  7. Mami2jcn

    This looks incredible! My father is from Spain and I’m craving chorizo right now.

  8. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats

    Amazing flavor combo. Love panzanella, its wonderful to be able to eat golden chunks of bread dressed in olive oil and tossed with chorizo and still be able to call it a salad 😉

  9. Jane

    This is simply gorgeous…I can’t even get beyond the looks of it at this point enough
    to comment on flavors or ingredients :-). Ok…re-reading recipe now… <3

  10. Erin P

    I’ve never heard of airline chicken breast, but it looks delicious! And I like that the little drumstick is there 🙂

  11. Rachel

    This looks so yummy! I’m glad I have a more hot days to go so I can grill instead of use the oven (too much). Sign me up for the contest too, I’d love to try the chicken!

  12. Sarah Fiona

    Glad to see you’re up and running again, and with such a delightful post! This is my favorite time of year for cooking, still sunny but cooling off enough to really enjoy some spice.

  13. Cynthia

    I’ve loved this series. Seeing you in the garden cooking up a storm is inspiring!! I love the way the videos add a whole new dimension to the blog! Count me in!

  14. Laura

    Oh my goodness, we would love to win that box of goodies. Everything you made was so beautiful: the rib streak, the salmon and now the beautiful smoked chicken. We never put our grill away. We’d do you proud!
    🙂 Laura and Dave

  15. Elena

    So now I not only know what an “airline chicken breast” is but have a delicious recipe to aspire to. Would be so very grateful to win. Enjoying your blog so very much, I look forward to each new entries since discovering Not Without Salt a few weeks ago.

  16. Allison

    I’m not at all confident with grilling (and a charcoal grill at that), but the panzanella looks fantastic!

  17. Molly F.C.

    Ooooh, pick me! 🙂 Despite living where it gets cold in the winter, my family grills year round.

  18. Brenda

    I’ve never heard of Airline chicken before. It sounds great! I’ll have to keep an eye out for it…. or win your box!

  19. Jessica Cox

    Send them to school with a sigh — that means that you’ve had a wonderful summer! The onset of Fall always makes me nostalgic for past winters, cuddling up with blankets, food sumptuous and warming. Ah, the season’s change! My fiance and I are contemplating putting sand in the basement with a kiddie pool. Just saying. You don’t have to give it up.

    Thank you for the panzanella recipe, nothing says late summer meal like a final grill off, toasted bread and chilled tomatoes!

  20. Emily

    I have loved this video series! All of the recipes look amazing and you are great on film.

  21. Andrea Kirilenko

    Looks fun, different and delish! My husband and I grill all year long!

  22. Ross Ullrich

    Looks to easy to be true – now I just gotta try it before summer actually leaves us!

  23. Kelsie Crozier

    I recently discovered panzenella and LOVE it! I’m intrigued by the addition of chorizo- I’m going to have to give your recipe a try! I also recently stumbled upon your blog after seeing it featured in SPU’s alumni magazine. Your site is beautiful! It’s fun to see a fellow Sehome and SPU alum in the food blogging world. Thanks for sharing Ashely!

  24. Carrie

    Wow! This looks delicious AND like something I can cook. It doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen on an airplane – and I fly a lot! Thank you.

  25. sara forte

    I love watching these videos cause in some strange way I feel like I got to hang out with you for a quick minute 🙂 Looks fantastic

  26. Tina Jeffers

    Such a lovely post Ashley! We love chorizo in our house and am lucky to have Olympic Provisions in our neighborhood. I can’t wait to try the recipe!

  27. Sylvia D.Camarena

    Sylvia D.Camarena September 2nd, 2014

    (ooops I replied vs. commenting.. Again) “Pick me, Pick me, oh my goodness I just graduated from Culinary School last month! I am so excited trying new recipes for my family of four. I cannot afford quality meats, but would love the chance to win a box of Porter & York meats. Love Love Love your blog along with your food photography! I’m always looking at your blog for inspiration. Absolutely amazing…

  28. Jon

    I’m happy to have just learned about the “airline” cut, that’s a great idea. And I’ve never considered smoking chicken so now I’ve learned 2 things, awesome!

  29. Lindsay Nicole

    I’m excited to try smoking on a gas grill… and yay for more weeks of summer evenings and weekends spent playing and eating.

  30. Lara

    What a lovely giveaway! I really enjoy reading about and seeing your delicious recipes in action!

  31. Cindy M

    I’m always worried that the bread in the panzanella salad gets soggy, but this looks delicious and I should probably try it some time 🙂

  32. Hana Oglevee

    I just love your blog. This looks like the perfect dinner to take us from summer into fall. I just may ‘date my husband’ tonight and surprise him with these delicious looking wings! Thanks as always for the creativity and inspiration.

  33. Hana Oglevee

    Oh and September 5th just so happens to be my birthday. What better way to celebrate than with a box of delicious meat?!

  34. Abigail Bentley

    This meal looks so vibrant, a perfect end to a beautiful summer.

  35. Mari u

    Adding the protein to the panzanella sounds like a delish all in one meal! Def need to try this soon.

  36. Kristina N.

    Looooove panzanella with the grilled bread! It was one of my summer obsessions.

  37. Bonnie Sanders

    Wow! That looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for your wonderful website! And the chance to win.

  38. Amanda T.

    This looks like an amazing end to summer! I’ve never wanted to make a panzanella before (the whole soggy bread idea didn’t do it for me) but this looks awesome!

  39. Dave

    I love your blog for the heart felt writing and the outstanding photography. My own food photography has a long way to go to get to this level. I’ve loved many of your recipes and look forward to making some of this chicken asap!

  40. Stephanie dodge

    Never thought of using a gas grill to smoke meat, sounds delicious and super easy! In Florida we have our grill out probably 10 months out of the year, so this will be in the weekly rotation!

  41. Jessica

    Me me me! 😛 But in all seriousness, I just got a ton of fresh tomatoes from my parents’ garden, so looks like I”ll be making the panzanella tonight! 😛

  42. pat simon

    Sounds delicious! How would one do the panzanella using “wet” or fresh chorizo?

  43. Christine

    Love the idea of this salad–yum! And thanks so much to you and the sponsor for the giveaway.

  44. Bill Martin

    Your recipes always look so amazing. Thank you so much for the step-by-steps. Just jaw-dropping/mouth watering.
    I would love to try this recipe.
    Thanks for being you!!!

  45. Christine

    Love the idea of this salad–yum! Thanks to you and the sponsor for the giveaway.

  46. Amy

    It would be wonderful to create this in my kitchen! Looking forward to it–and thanks for your inspiration!

  47. Greg Walker

    Brilliant idea to smoke the chicken – certainly an underutilized avenue for adding flavor. Love your blog. And, this recipe is inspirational!

  48. Claire

    Woohoo! That’s an awesome giveaway paired with an inspiring recipe! I’m in denial that summer is over, and I’ll be grilling meat dishes through the rainy fall in Seattle.

  49. Sis Adger

    Me being a meatasaurus and me loving your blog, I would love for you to buy me a gift of meat! lol

    Gonna try this (especially the panzanella) asap! Summer is still here!

  50. Laura

    I finally got my husband to look forward to salads by making variations of Panzanella salads. I cannot wait to try this one 🙂

  51. Sarah

    You don’t need to sell me on meat delivered to my doorstep. This chicken looks amazing and chorizo panzanella? Count me in.

  52. Kristin H

    I’ve had panzanella at restaurants a couple of times, but I’ve never made it. This recipe looks tasty enough that I just might have to give it a try this weekend!

  53. ktr

    I’ve never strayed from my one tried and true panzanella recipe but this version looks so good I may have to give it a try!

  54. Lauren

    This looks delicious! I live in Santa Barbara, CA, so grilling season is practically year round!

  55. Missy

    This look great! I’ll have to try it. Thanks so much for the giveaway.

  56. jonquil

    Looks so good! I am looking forward to Autumn showing up. It’s my reward for tolerating the nastiness of Summer. I have school-quiet for only 3 hrs./day until next year, when youngest starts Kindergarten.

  57. Stephanie Hanley

    This looks amazing and I had no idea you could use a gas grill to smoke meats! I’m so excited to try it. (and by “me” I mean “sharing the info with my hubby so he can do it.” 🙂

  58. Kathleen

    That is a lovely, generous giveaway and I’m pretty sure that either way I’ll be making that salad. (Your videos are stunning, too, Ashley. It’s so clear you are an artist at heart. )

  59. Chelsea

    That looks delicious! My husband and I finally have a place with a backyard, so we have been grilling up a storm this summer. We will definitely have to try out this recipe next!

  60. Kevin

    Woah! I’ve been looking for an excuse buy chips for smoking…just found it! As always, looks amazing and loved reading.

  61. Kristen D.

    The chicken looks sooo good! I would love a box of meat at my doorstep 🙂

  62. Bri

    That looks incredible! Yum! The colors are gorgeous, and I know the flavors must be out of this world!

  63. Marie

    It all looks so beautiful and delicious! It makes me grateful to have just moved to Florida where grilling season is never-ending!

  64. Jenn

    This looks AMAZING. Chicken is one thing I’m trying to have on our dinner menu more often – this is going into my online recipe box right now! 😀

  65. heidi defaut

    there’s not much better than on the grill. we put an outdoor umbrella over ours so we could grill in the winter too.

  66. Jessica

    I have been looking for a panzanella recipe that contained more than just bread and veggies. Here we are!

  67. Dawn Zook

    Ashley, I just love to read your blog and learn new cooking ideas from you. I love the insights you give about parenting, relationships and marriage! Keep it up! Dawn

  68. Kim Porter

    I would absolutely love and appreciate fresh meat delivered to my door AND that smoked chicken is worthy of bringing the grill back out!

  69. Madhavi

    I’ve never tried chorizo with panzanella – it sounds delicious! The giveaway looks awesome.

  70. Linda Grothe

    I am a huge fan of yours, thank you once again for giving us all another interesting meal choice. I have never tried to smoke on the BBQ but will give this a go. 😉

  71. Danielle

    Ooh! That looks incredible! I love every single one of your posts! They are ever so inspiring 🙂

  72. Natalie J Vandenberghe

    a box of quality meat delivered right to my door? Sounds fabulous! Let me know when you need my address 😉

  73. Doris

    I would love to try this recipe! And yes, enter me into the drawing, please!

  74. Maria

    The panzanella looks amazing, can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the giveaway, fingers crossed I win!!

  75. Melissa Dalgetty

    What a great way to use up some of my garden tomatoes and wild arugula this fall! Thanks!

  76. Libby

    This is the perfect savoring-the-end-of-summer meal, thanks for sharing!

  77. Jillian L

    That chicken looks incredible! And I love panzanella, I tend to have bits of bread left over from other meals that get re-purposed, I’ll have to give this a shot this weekend.

  78. Sarah F

    This sounds amazing! And, the recipe sounds and looks delicoius. I’d love to win a box hand-selected by you, as I’ve followed your blog for some time now.

  79. justine

    Love panzanella but never thought of adding smoked meat to it. Great it, I can’t wait to try it

  80. Corine

    You are my favorite blog! Good luck to the kiddos in their year of school.

  81. Lauren

    This sounds amazing! I’m excited to try smoking on our gas grill – we’ve never done that before…

  82. Serena

    Ooooo..Love the custom made box of meats! What a treat! Love the panzanella!

  83. Kari

    Panzanella is my favorite! Hoping to be able to go to your class at Ciao Thyme!

  84. jesse

    I would certainly like to win a box of food chosen by you. This is especially true because of the salmon photos from some of the previous posts. The salmon almost looks like it is glowing from the inside. Amazing!

    Keep up the wonderful and inspiring work.

  85. Genevieve Plumadore

    This looks fantastic! Not enough people use Chorizo! They are too scared of it! Loves it!

  86. Sarah

    What do you mean “put the grill away”- never! Year round grilling is the way to go 🙂
    This recipe looks great & thanks for the giveaway.

  87. Eliza

    I’m a new follower of this blog and this recipe looks amazing.
    Being tucked away in South Carolina prohibits me from always finding the same ingredients you use, but I’m up fro the challenge.
    I’d love to win the box, since we don’t have a Porter & York down here!

  88. Gina

    I have a huge garden, looking forward to the salad recipe, but would love to have the chicken to go with.

  89. Tracy H

    A perfect way to not let go of the season….looks summery and savory at the same time.

  90. Ragan

    Your photography & styling is so inspiring to me! Looking at the October workshops so I hope I get to join you. Thank you for your lovely posts! I’m a big fan 🙂

  91. Phil

    This looks so good! I love your food photos. It really makes me want to taste your recipe. I got a new site to check out for recipes. Awesome!

  92. Embeya

    Woooow…..Homemade!!! It’s the only thing that taste good! And so easy to do…

    I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!

    Dang Thai from Embeya!

  93. BBQgrills

    this recipe looks amazing.
    Being tucked away in South Carolina prohibits me from always finding the same ingredients you use, but I’m up fro the challenge
    so keep it up