Chicken Caesar Salad

Prudence Pennywise posted a delicious chicken caesar salad last week and I couldn't get the yummy picture out of my head! Time to re-create!


First, I chopped 2 slices (feel free to use the heel!) of whole wheat bread into about 1/2" cubes. I tossed these in a small bowl with a couple teaspoons of olive oil and a heafty sprinkle of garlic powder. Next, I layed them out on a baking sheet and put them directly under the broiler. It will only take 2 or 3 minutes, so watch closely - they'll burn fast!


While the croutons were crisping, I cleaned and tore up a heart of Romaine lettuce, splitting the whole heart between two plates. I hate chewing on a thick rib of Romaine, so I take the time to rip the outer leaves from the thick rib and break the inner, tenderer leaves into smaller bites.

Once the lettuce was plated and the croutons cooling, I focused on the chicken. First, I got a medium skillet "screaming hot," as Rachael Ray likes to say. Then, I put about a teaspoon of olive oil into it and 3 thin sliced chicken breasts. I had seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder because I wanted most of their flavor to come from a good coloring. I just left the heat cranked all the way up to high and sizzled the chicken on each side until it was brown, almost on the edge of black, in a few spots. I let it sit and rest on the cutting board while I grated a couple tablespoons of fresh Parmesan cheese, then sliced it into 1/2" squares.

Prudence Pennywise valiently made her own dressing from scratch. I wasn't ready to be that much of a go-getter, plus Newman's Own caesar dressing (the oil based one, not the creamy one) is by far the greatest dressing ever produced. I've written about my love for Paul Newman and this dressing before. While purchasing the pictured bottle, I nearly had a heart attack because I thought they'd stopped selling it (either in our area, or altogether) again and went into meltdown. Then, I found it behind another dressing bottle and literally kissed it right in the aisle! I'm a very loyal fan.

One and a half thin sliced chicken breasts, 1 slice worth of croutons, a couple tablespoons of Parmesan, and some Newman's Own caesar were arranged over the bed of Romaine for a dinner fitting of the evening. The day was still light, the windows open, and it just felt like a nice Spring evening munching on a filling salad.