Why This Recipe Works

Chicken is the only warm element of the dish, and we pair it with tender chickpeas, crunchy cucumbers, creamy mozzarella balls, and bright and juicy cherry tomatoes, with banana peppers and kalamata olives adding briny pop. A little finely chopped red onion brings just the right degree of pungent bite. We use cutlets for the chicken, which require almost no prep and cook through quickly on the stove. We toss the other components with a red-wine vinaigrette that we thoroughly emulsify with small amounts of mustard and mayonnaise. Served on a platter, the salad makes an impressive meal.

Before You Begin

Look for fresh mozzarella balls labeled “ciliegine”; if they’re unavailable, cut one 8-ounce ball of fresh mozzarella into ½-inch pieces. If making this ahead, dress the salad right before serving.

Instructions

Pat 1 pound chicken cutlets, trimmed, dry with paper towels and season with ½ teaspoon table salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Whisk 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil until glossy and lightly thickened; set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and meat registers 160 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to carving board; let rest 5 minutes.

Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces. Rewhisk dressing to combine and add 1 rinsed can chickpeas; 1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces; 10 ounces halved cherry tomatoes; 8 ounces cherry-size mozzarella balls, halved; ½ red onion, chopped fine; ½ cup parsley leaves; ½ cup jarred sliced banana peppers, chopped coarse; and ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved. Transfer to serving platter and top with chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.