Twisted Chicken Caesar Salad Food

CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tear 1 medium ciabatta into big, ragged croutons or, if you prefer, cut with a bread knife. Spread over a large baking sheet or tray and sprinkle over 2 tbsp olive oil.
• Rub the oil into the bread and season with a little salt if you like (sea salt crystals are best for this). Bake for 8-10 mins, turning the croutons a few times during cooking so they brown evenly.
• Rub 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts with 1 tbsp olive oil, season. Place pan over a medium heat for 1 min, until hot, but not smoking. Lay the chicken on the pan (it will sizzle if it's hot enough) and leave for 4 mins.
• Turn the chicken, then cook for 4 mins more. Check if it's cooked by poking the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part; there should be no sign of pink and juices will run clear.
• Bash 1 garlic clove with the flat of a knife and peel off the skin. Crush with a garlic crusher. Mash 2 anchovies with a fork against the side of a small bowl.
• Grate a handful of parmesan cheese and mix with the garlic, anchovies, 5 tbsp mayonnaise and 1 tbsp white wine vinegar. Season to taste. It should be the consistency of yogurt - if yours is thicker, stir in a few tsps water to thin it.
• Shave the cheese with a peeler. Tear 1 large cos or romaine lettuce into large pieces and put in a large bowl. Pull chicken into bite-size strips and scatter half over the leaves, along with half the croutons.
• Add most of the dressing and toss with your fingers. Scatter the rest of the chicken and croutons, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle the parmesan on top and serve straight away.

GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Make the dressing: Chop 2 garlic cloves and puree with 1/2 cup olive oil, the anchovies and lemon juice in a blender until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Pound the chicken with a mallet or heavy skillet until about 1/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tablespoon of the Caesar dressing. Grill the chicken until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush the bread with olive oil on both sides and grill, turning, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Rub with the remaining garlic clove. Brush the romaine with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing and grill until marked, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Chop the lettuce and transfer to a bowl. Cut the bread and chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl. Toss with the remaining dressing, the parmesan, and pepper to taste. Garnish with more parmesan.

NEXT LEVEL CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the skin from the chicken and set aside. Cover the chicken with cling film and bash out to flatten slightly, then put in a large bowl with half of the lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Set aside.
• If you're making the crackling, lay the chicken skin on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and sprinkle with sea salt. Put another piece of baking parchment on top, then weigh it down with a baking tray. Roast for 25-30 mins until crisp and golden.
• Meanwhile, trim the crusts off the sourdough and tear the centre into pieces. Tip onto a baking tray, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and finely grate over 15g of the parmesan. Toss everything together so the bread is completely coated in oil and cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-25 mins with the crackling (if making), tossing a few times, until golden and crunchy. The croutons and crackling can be prepared a day ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• For the dressing, use a pestle and mortar to crush the remaining garlic to a paste, then mash in the anchovies. Spoon into a bowl and finely grate in 10g parmesan, then add the remaining lemon juice, mayo and mustard. Gradually stir in 4 tbsp oil. Can be made three hrs ahead.
• Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Griddle the chicken for 4-5 mins on each side until just cooked, then set aside. Trim and discard any limp outside lettuce leaves and trim the rest into bite-sized lengths. Slice the chicken into pieces and use a peeler to shave the remaining parmesan, grating the final stump that can't be shaved.
• 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.

CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Coat chicken with Lemon-Pepper Slather sealed in plastic bag. Refrigerate for 2 or up to 24 hours.
• 2. Preheat a grill to medium.
• 3. Soak anchovy fillets in cold water 5 minutes. Pat dry, chop coarsely, and place in a large salad bowl. Place egg in a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, drain, and crack egg into bowl. Discard shell and any attached cooked white. Crush 1 garlic clove, sprinkle with 34 teaspoon salt, and mash into a coarse paste using flat side of a large knife. Add to bowl. Add lemon juice and Worcestershire and slowly whisk in oil until creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and refrigerate.
• 4. Pat chicken dry; season with salt and black pepper. Grill chicken, turning once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board.
• 5. Brush bread with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until toasted. Halve remaining garlic clove and rub onto toast. Season with salt to taste and break into bite-size croutons.
• 6. Add lettuce to salad bowl; toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese and croutons, toss, and divide salad among plates. Slice chicken and top each salad with a sliced chicken breast. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve immediately.
• Pulse peppercorns in a spice grinder until coarsely ground. Add salt and sugar and pulse a few more times. Transfer to a bowl and stir in olive oil, lemon zest, and garlic. Heat in microwave, (do not let boil), about 45 seconds. Cool before using.

CAESAR SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated Parmesan and garlic, then season. When ready to eat, add the chicken slices, croutons and lettuce. Mix well and sprinkle with extra Parmesan, if you like.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken. Mix the lemon juice, oil, thyme and garlic in a shallow dish. Add the chicken and turn it over in the marinade to coat well. Season with freshly ground pepper and leave for up to 2 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Slice, then cut the bread into big, rough cubes for the croutons. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then brush all over with the 2 tbsp oil. Bake for about 10 mins until golden and crisp.
• Meanwhile, put the garlic into a mini blender with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, chilli and anchovies. Blend until smooth, add the mayonnaise and yogurt, then blend again - it should be the consistency of double cream. Adjust the taste with lemon juice and pepper. If necessary, thin with a couple of tsps of cold water to get the consistency right so it will coat the leaves.
• Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Lay the chicken on the griddle, on the side that had the skin on. Cook for 15-16 mins, turning once or twice, until cooked through. Remove, then let the meat sit for 5 mins before slicing.
• Keep any small inner lettuce leaves whole, tear the larger outer leaves into 2-3 pieces, then put them all into a large bowl with the rocket or watercress. Pour just under half the dressing over the leaves and carefully toss to coat - it's gentler to use your hands. Either assemble in the bowl, or pile the leaves onto individual plates, tucking in the croutons, chicken and Parmesan. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over and around, then finish with an extra squeeze of lemon.