Tomato and Bread Salad with Chicken Bites

Tomato and Bread Salad with Chicken Bites
Adapted from Salad by Williams Sonoma
(serves 2)

Ingredients:

For the croutons:
Homemade bread, cubed (I used 2 thick slices for the two of us)
Olive oil

For the salad and dressing:
Lettuce of your choice, shredded (I used about one large leaf of iceberg for each of us)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
4 slices of bacon
Fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
S&P to taste
**Note: the recipe calls for fresh garlic which we can't eat but I'm sure it would have been lovely!

For the chicken bites:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
S&P
2 egg whites
Breadcrumbs
Butter for frying

Directions:

1. Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 400. Place the cubed bread in a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil, not to soak, just to coat lightly. Place the bread on a pan and cook for about 15 minutes, turning the croutons once. Set aside.

2. Make the salad: In a large pan, fry up your bacon and let cool, keep the grease in the pan for the chicken. In a salad bowl, place shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped bacon, the oil, vinegar and s&p. Toss lightly and set aside.

3. Make the chicken bites: Cube the chicken and season with s&p. Dip each cube in the egg white, then in the bread crumbs and place on a plate. Heat about 2-4 tbsp of butter on medium heat in the frying pan you used to cook the bacon. Cook the chicken bites for about 5 minutes (with the cover on the pan). Flip the bites, cover the pan (add more butter if needed) and cook another 7 minutes.

4. Finish the salad: Add the croutons, warm chicken bites and fresh basil to the salad and serve.