Chicken Caesar with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
A classic Caesar salad becomes a satisfying meal when topped with grilled chicken, which can be easily prepared indoors using an electric grill or a stovetop grill pan. If you can find it, substitute the Parmesan with SarVecchio, a Parmesan-like cheese made in Wisconsin with a deep sweet-yet-salty flavor.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1 egg yolk
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad:
- 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) walnuts halves, toasted
- Parmesan cheese for shaving
Directions
To make the dressing, in a blender, combine the garlic and anchovy fillets until finely chopped. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest and juice, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Blend on medium-high speed to form a smooth paste. With the blender on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season with more salt and pepper and set aside.
Preheat an indoor electric grill to medium-high heat, or preheat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat.
Brush the chicken on both sides with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill or in the grill pan and cook, turning once if using a grill pan, until opaque throughout. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice the chicken crosswise.
To assemble the salad, in a bowl, toss the romaine with the enough dressing to lightly coat. Add the walnuts and toss to combine. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with the chicken slices. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the cheese over the salads and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen