Who hasn’t ordered the chicken Caesar salad at The Olive Garden? Or pretty much any other restaurant, regardless of cuisine, over the years? Typically, it consists of romaine lettuce dripping with creamy “Caesar” dressing, with cold chicken on top, along with more Parmesan cheese and stale croutons.
This is my new spin on chicken Caesar salad, inspired by a recent Bon Appetit recipe. But instead of piling everything high on a smudged plate, the diner gets a unique salad-eating experience with a deconstructed restaurant staple.
The panko-Parmesan-crusted chicken is lovely along with the seared romaine flecked with garlic and minced anchovies. I love the whole seared-lettuce thing. Really changes the flavors.
I highly recommend adding this dish to your summer menu – a wonderful entree for dining al fresco, if you can.
Deconstructed Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 7-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped, divided
- 2 large hearts of romaine, halved lengthwise
- 4 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained, minced
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
Divide among plates. Garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Doesn’t that look yummy? Also good as sack-lunch leftovers – just reheat the chicken and serve with the cold romaine and squeeze a lemon wedge over.
Enjoy, friends! xoxo
Seasoned to Taste 