- 2 chicken breasts with skin on (if you can get it) for cracking chicken
- 1 lemon , juiced
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 100ml olive oil , plus about 4 tbsp for the dressing
- 250g sourdough bread
- 100g parmesan
- 4 anchovies in oil
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 romaine lettuces
Next level chicken Caesar salad
Description
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 degrees.
Remove the chicken skin and set it aside.
Cover the chicken with cling film and bash to flatten somewhat then combine with half of the lemon juice 1 garlic clove a drizzle of oil and salt and pepper in a big mixing bowl.
Place aside.
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If preparing crackling place the chicken skin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and season with salt.
Cover with another piece of baking paper and a baking tray to keep it in place.
Roast for 25-30 minutes or until brown and crisp -
Trim the crusts off the sourdough and tear the center into pieces in the meantime
Place on a baking dish drizzle with the remaining olive oil then coarsely grate 15g parmesan over top
Toss everything together until the toast is fully covered in cheese and oil
Bake for 15-5 minutes tossing a few times until golden and crunchy with the crackling (if using)
The croutons and crackling can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to a day -
To make the dressing, pound the remaining garlic in a pestle and mortar then mash in the anchovies
Pour into a mixing bowl and finely grate 10g parmesan then stir in the remaining lemon juice mayo and mustard
4 tbsp oil, stirred in gradually make three hours ahead of time
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A griddle pan should be blazing hot
Set aside the chicken after griddling it for 4-5 minutes on each side until just done
Remove any limp lettuce leaves from the outside and cut the rest into bite-sized lengths
Slice the chicken into pieces and shave the leftover parmesan with a peeler grating any stumps that can't be shaved
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To serve, tip the lettuce, croutons, chicken and cheese into a large salad bowl and drizzle with most of the dressing. Toss everything together well (the easiest way is with your hands), then drizzle with more dressing, scatter with the crackling and serve.
MINUTES OF MARINATION Marinating the chicken in lemon juice before cooking heals it, but don't do it for more than 30 minutes or the chicken will become mushy. CRACKLING CHICKEN Crackling isn't required, but it's a nice touch. If you buy skinless chicken, a decent butcher should be able to provide you with some skin. MIXING LAST-MINUTE The lettuce will grow limp and the croutons will lose their crunchiness if not combined and served right away.