Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

by Florence Fabricant

A variation on a classic Caesar salad with grilled chicken that makes an excellent first-course or a full-on meal.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

  • Servings: 6 servings

Hitting the lettuce with a little fire is an unexpectedly brilliant trick; the green leaves char and crisp and the insides become slightly tender, but you still get the satisfying crunch everyone loves about romaine.

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 salt-cured anchovies, rinsed and dried
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds skinless and boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs
  • ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 4 slices whole-grain bread, without crusts

Directions

  • Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add anchovies and cook on low, stirring, until they fall apart and meld with the oil. Place in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and remaining olive oil.
  • Place chicken in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of the olive oil dressing, turn to coat chicken breasts, cover and set aside to marinate 2 hours, longer if refrigerated.
  • Separate egg whites and yolks. Place yolks in a small dish, add a little of the dressing, blend until smooth and mix in with the rest of the dressing. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Dice whites and keep them separate.
  • Light a grill. Remove any tired outer leaves from the romaine, then quarter each head vertically. Place on a large platter and drizzle cut sides with a little of the dressing. Grill romaine close to the heat source, turning clusters of leaves and any individual leaves so they wilt a little and become lightly charred. Remove. Place bread on grill and sear to toast. Remove. Place chicken on grill and cook, turning a few times and basting with the marinade until cooked through, about 15 minutes. It’s best to grill chicken away from the source of heat so it does not char.
  • Coarsely shred romaine onto a large rimmed platter. Dice toasted bread and add it, along with the egg whites. Drizzle with about half the dressing. Slice the chicken about 1/2-inch thick, arrange it over the romaine and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve warm.