Cooking With Rania: Chicken Caesar Salad
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Ciao! All through May, Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, is giving us a tour of Italian cuisine. Today, she's making a Chicken Caesar Salad for lunch!
Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 large heads of romaine lettuce - washed and torn
- 2 cups homemade croutons (see recipe below)
- 4 whole grilled chicken breasts (well seasoned)
Dressing:
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (or more taste)
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 - 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets - coarsely chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic - peeled
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Generous dash of hot sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2/3-cup extra virgin olive oil
Additional shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish
Directions:
Put washed and torn lettuce in a large bowl and refrigerate. Have toasted croutons ready ready for final assembly.
Slice the chicken crosswise into ½ inch strips and refrigerate.
To make dressing: in the jar of a blender combine the lemon juice, grated cheese, Dijon mustard, anchovy fillets, peeled garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Whirl these ingredients together to blend well. With the machine running - begin to add the olive oil slowly and continue to blend until all of the oil is well emulsified. Keep chilled until ready for salad assembly.
To assemble salad: Dress lettuce with enough dressing to coat. Top with chicken slices and croutons and toss again. Add more dressing, if needed. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately.
Serves: 4
Croutons:
- 1 baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place bread cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with a good quality fruity olive oil. Season with salt. Bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Cool.