RECIPE - CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD

This delicious salad is perfect for spring -  with succulent chicken, crunchy sourdough croutons, cheese and a tangy anchovy and garlic dressing,  you’ll be making this more than once! This recipe serves 4 and takes 40 minutes to make.

Ingredients: 

• 2 chicken breasts 
• 1 lemon, juiced 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 100ml olive oil, plus about 4 tbsp for the dressing 
• 250g of sourdough bread
• 100g parmesan 
• 4 anchovies in oil 
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise 
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard 
• 2 romaine lettuces 

Method: 

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. 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. 
2. Meanwhile, trim the crusts off the sourdough and teat 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 an cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes with the crackling, tossing a few times, until golden and crunchy. The croutons can be prepared a day ahead and kept in an airtight container. 
3. 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 hours ahead. 
4. 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.
5. To serve, tip the lettuce, croutons, chicken and cheese into a large salad bowl and dizzle with most of the dressing. Toss everything together well (the easiest way is with your hands), then drizzle with more dressing and serve. 

Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2018