Chicken Caesar salad with homemade croutons

You can’t go wrong with a Chicken Caesar Salad, especially with homemade croutons. After recently having one at the Harrods Champagne Bar in the Metrocentre, we haven’t stopped thinking about it and this recipe comes pretty close.

INGREDIENTS

For the croutons

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic, grated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups ciabatta bread cubes

For the chicken

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 clove garlic, grated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the dressing

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad

2 heads romaine, roughly chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with chicken and croutons. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Top with Parmesan.

Recipe credit: Damn Delicious

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