A caesar inspired salad with sourdough croutons and chicken thighs. As the weather turns warmer, this is the kind of thing you want for dinner and lunch the next day, so make extra!
Food52 is a website that has a section of recipes edited by Kristen Miglore that she deems “Genius.” This is one of them, and I couldn’t agree more. The dressing doubles as a marinade, and the sourdough slice of bread makes the best and easiest croutons ever – no flipping tiny cubes of bread for even cooking. GENIUS.
Per usual, I’ve tweaked this for my own tastes (and that of my kids) by removing the anchovies, replacing that with 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce. It gives the same salty bite without the fishy taste. I have made it both ways, and like my version better – it’s also easier than buying a tin of anchovies for just this salad.
Genius Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan divided
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- A few small heads crisp lettuces like Little Gem, romaine, or chicories
- 2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil for cooking both the chicken and croutons
- 2-3 thick slices of sourdough bread for croutons
Instructions
- Finely chop the three garlic cloves. Transfer to a medium bowl. Finely grate ¾ cup Parmesan (about 1½ ounces) and add ½ cup to the bowl. Zest half of the lemon into the bowl. Stir in the mayo, soy sauce, Worcestershire ,and Dijon mustard, using a large whisk.
- Transfer half the dressing to a shallow dish. Pat the chicken thighs dry, season with salt & pepper, then add to the dish and turn to coat.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add two tablespoons olive oil when ready. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
- Separate the leaves of the lettuces and toss into a big bowl. Squeeze half the lemon (about 1½ tablespoons) over the greens, sprinkle with salt, then toss to combine. Add the remaining dressing and remaining ¼ cup Parm and toss to combine. Thinly slice the chicken. Add to the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper, lemon, and Parm.
- For croutons, heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high (any flaky brown bits leftover from the chicken will add flavor). Add the slices of crusty bread and toast until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt. Cut into croutons and sprinkle over the salad.
Notes
1 Comment
This is sooooo good and way better than any other Caesar salad! I made it for a dinner party with popovers and the whole dinner was a huge hit! Walestable recipes never disappoint!