Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Parmesan Croutons
Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Parmesan Croutons
Author: The Blue Jean Chef, Meredith Laurence
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 (6-ounce) chicken breasts
- 3 hearts romaine lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
- Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shaved
- Caesar Dressing:
- 2 egg yolks
- juice from ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- ½ to 1 clove garlic, mashed into a paste
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Garlic Croutons:
- 4 thick slices of Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, honey, thyme, oregano, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Place the chicken breasts in a zipper sealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 6 hours or as long as overnight.
- Make the Caesar dressing by whisking the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper together. Add the anchovy paste and garlic and whisk well. Slowly drizzle in the oils, whisking constantly. Add very slowly at first, so that the sauce doesn’t break. Whisk patiently, adding the oil slowly until all the oil has been incorporated. Chill the dressing until you are ready to use it.
- Pre-heat the air fryer to 380ºF.
- Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil generously. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese over the top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat the bread cubes. Place the bread into the air fryer basket and air-fry at 380ºF for 5 minutes, shaking and tossing the basket a few times during the cooking process. Set the toasted croutons aside to cool.
- Transfer the marinated chicken breasts to the air fryer basket and air-fry at 380ºF for 12 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through the cooking process.
- Place the romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle the Caesar dressing on top and toss to coat. Add the freshly ground black pepper, some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the croutons. Toss and divide the salad between four plates.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and let them rest for a few minutes. Slice the chicken breasts on the bias and shingle a few slices on top of the lettuce and serve.
