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Proper chicken caesar salad

Name: Proper chicken caesar salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 8 as a main course
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: Olive oil for drizzling; 6 medium skin-on free-range chicken breasts; 300g sourdough or good quality chewy bread, torn into chunks; 12 British free-range streaky bacon rashers; 3 romaine lettuces, leaves separated, large leaves torn in half; Small bunch fresh chives, roughly snipped; Parmesan for shaving; For the dressing; 8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained; 2 small garlic cloves, crushed; 3 large free-range egg yolks; Juice 1 lemon; 2 tsp dijon mustard; 150ml light olive oil; 4-5 tbsp grated parmesan (to taste)

Published: 1 Apr 16
Updated: 18 Mar 24

The combination of chicken, bacon, garlicky dressing and chunky sourdough croutons in this proper caesar salad is hard to beat.

This recipe uses fresh chicken, and we’ve also got a recipe that will help you use up leftover roast chicken.

Easy
Febraury 2016

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8 as a main course
Hands-on time 25 min, oven time 35 min

The combination of chicken, bacon, garlicky dressing and chunky sourdough croutons in this proper caesar salad is hard to beat.

This recipe uses fresh chicken, and we’ve also got a recipe that will help you use up leftover roast chicken.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 568kcals
Fat: 35.5g (9.1g saturated)
Protein: 43.1g
Carbohydrates: 18.3g (1.8g sugars)
Fibre: 1.7g
Salt: 2.4g

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Ingredients

Olive oil for drizzling
6 medium skin-on free-range chicken breasts
300g sourdough or good quality chewy bread, torn into chunks
12 British free-range streaky bacon rashers
3 romaine lettuces, leaves separated, large leaves torn in half
Small bunch fresh chives, roughly snipped
Parmesan for shaving

For the dressing

8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
3 large free-range egg yolks
Juice 1 lemon
2 tsp dijon mustard
150ml light olive oil
4-5 tbsp grated parmesan (to taste)

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Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of oil and, when really hot, season the chicken breasts and put them in the pan, skin-side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden underneath, then flip them over and fry for a minute. Remove and set aside.
Toss the bread with another drizzle of olive oil in a large roasting tin, then spread out in a single layer. Sit the chicken breasts among the bread pieces, season, then lay the bacon slices over the bread. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts, toss the croutons and bacon slices around a little, then cook for 10-15 minutes more until the croutons are deep golden and the bacon is crisp. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Put the anchovies, garlic, egg yolks, lemon and mustard in a pestle and mortar or small food processor. Pound or whizz to a coarse, thick paste. While pounding, or with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, so the sauce thickens to the consistency of runny mayonnaise. If it starts to look greasy at any point, add a splash of water. Once you’ve added all the oil, stir through the grated parmesan, taste and season – it may need a bit more lemon juice. If it’s too thick to drizzle, add a little cold water.

To assemble, slice the chicken breasts. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a wide platter, then scatter with the croutons, torn bacon and chives. Use a vegetable peeler to shave parmesan over the top, then drizzle over half the dressing and top with the sliced chicken. Drizzle over the remaining dressing, then serve while the chicken is still warm.