Roasted Tomato Chicken Salad: What to Do With the Last of the Summer Tomatoes

I got my paws on the last of the heirloom tomatoes this past week. And what else to transport me back to a bit of summer goodness than a chicken salad like this.

Summer isn't summer without fresh cherry tomatoes of all colors picked still-warm from the sun from my family's garden. My favorite way to prepare them... Slowly roasting them with a sprinkle of salt in the oven. It's foolproof — if the tomatoes are a bit too watery, like they are this summer, roasting them concentrates all the flavor, adding a subtle textural element that is perfect in green salads, omelettes, or, as I've done here, in a chicken salad (or chicken salad sandwich).

Roasted Tomato Chicken Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup sherry
3 cups cherry tomatoes
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise, plus more if desired
4 cups arugula
Pitas, halved for stuffing (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In an ovenproof baking dish, combine the chicken, stock, and sherry. Place on the top shelf of the oven and bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking process. Remove the chicken from the oven, flip again, and let cool in the liquid.

Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes and garlic with just enough olive oil to coat the mixture, and season lightly with salt. Place the tomatoes on a Silpat-lined baking sheet and cook on the lower shelf in the oven. You can cook the tomatoes in the oven with the chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes crack and begin to shrivel. Turn off the oven heat and leave the tray of tomatoes inside for 15 minutes, then remove.

Once the chicken has cooled, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces with your hands. Toss the chicken in mayonnaise and season with salt. Add the tomatoes and stir together lightly. Place a scoop of the salad mix onto a bed of arugula tossed in more oil and serve. If desired, you can also stuff a halved pita with arugula and a cup of chicken salad.