Caesar salad with marinated chicken breasts

Today I bring you one of the most popular summer salads, the classic Caesar salad, and I propose a different way of preparing chicken breasts, with a juicy and very tasty result that will delight everyone at home. This Caesar salad with marinated chicken breasts doesn't have any secrets, but it will turn your plate into a show.

These hot days fancy lighter meals that can be ready in a very short time. And today's recipe meets these two precepts of summer cooking. Preparing the marinade for the breasts is very quick and, once marinated, all you have to do is pass them over the griddle or iron skillet to cook them.

Also, so that you hardly have to worry about washing the dishes, I invite you to present the chicken breasts marinated in the salad, cut into medallions and added as one more ingredient along with the lettuce and tomatoes, turning everything into a unique dish with lots of flavor.

Shall we go with the recipe? First, I'll tell you a little secret about this recipe...

On the perfect sauce to accompany the Caesar salad

Caesar salad traditionally has a sauce called "Caesar sauce" or "Caesar dressing". This sauce is recognized for its creamy and salty flavor. Although there are variations in the recipes, the classic version of the Caesar sauce includes the following ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Yolk
• anchovies
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Dijon mustard
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper
• Salt

These ingredients are mixed and emulsified until a smooth and homogeneous texture is obtained. Caesar dressing is used to dress Caesar salad, which typically includes romaine lettuce, croutons (chunks of toasted bread), grated Parmesan cheese, and optionally grilled chicken.

It is important to note that the Caesar sauce recipe may vary slightly according to personal taste and regional preferences, but the mentioned ingredients are the most common in its preparation.

That being said, there are modern variations and versions of this salad that use a yogurt sauce instead of the classic Caesar sauce, and this is how I bring it to you today to make the recipe easier (since summer is to rest, also from the kitchen!).

You can easily find the yogurt sauce in the refrigerated area of ​​large supermarkets, or you can prepare it yourself at home (I'll leave you how to make it below).

Yogurt sauce can add a hint of creaminess and refreshing flavor to a Caesar salad, complementing the other ingredients—that is, the lettuce, croutons, and cheese.

Ingredients

To marinate the chicken:

• Chicken breast (one per person)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves
• A couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary (if you don't have it, you can use dry)
• fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Salt
• black peppercorns
• Smoked paprika flakes (or spicy if you prefer)
• some bay leaves

For the salad:

• Cherry tomatoes (5 or 6 per person)
• A few lettuce leaves or a head per person
• Parmesan cheese flakes (optional)
• croutons
• yogurt sauce*

*You can buy made yogurt sauce, or make it at home. Yogurt sauce for Caesar salad is made by mixing plain (preferably Greek) yogurt with lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Elaboration

Marinate and roast the chicken breasts:

1. Grate or finely chop the garlic cloves.
2. In a large bowl or a glass container, place the olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked or hot paprika flakes, chopped basil leaves, grated garlic cloves and rosemary leaves.
3. Mix everything very well and place the breasts in the container, spreading them well so that they are well impregnated.
4. Add some chopped bay leaves and close the container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a silicone lid .
5. Let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of 2 to 4 hours, turning the breasts halfway through, so that the chicken is well impregnated with all the aromas. You can leave it for a few more hours if you want the flavors to be more intense.
6. Once the marinating time has elapsed, take the container out of the fridge and remove the breasts. Discard any marinade left in the bowl.
7. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush with a little EVOO.
8. When the pan is hot, add the breasts and let them sear before turning them over.
9. When the breasts are done, remove them from the pan and let them warm slightly, before cutting them into slices.

Prepare the Caesar salad

1. Put the lettuce leaves in a bowl
2. Add the cherry tomatoes, cleaned and cut in half.
3. Sprinkle a little salt on the tomatoes and lettuce.
4. Arrange the cut brisket over the bowl with the salad.
5. Add a few croutons and, optionally, a few Parmesan flakes.
6. Dress with yogurt sauce and serve at the moment.

Grades

• The indicated quantities of the marinade ingredients are indicative. You can put more garlic if you like it a lot or omit it if you prefer it without it. Add any other aromatic herb that you like or make it with only one, so that its aroma is the protagonist.
• You can use any smooth sauce instead of using the yogurt sauce (see above the ingredients to make the traditional Caesar sauce, or you can add a cheese sauce or another of your choice).
• You can also add another liquid to the marinade: a little vinegar, milk or lemon juice, for example. If you do it with lemon, reduce the marinating time (20 to 30 minutes would be enough), since the acids in the lemon juice tenderize the meat more quickly.
• Marinated chicken is delicious. Instead of using it for a Caesar salad, you can accompany the chicken with a tomato salad, with a glass of gazpacho, with some rice or with some fried or roasted potatoes. The way I present it to you is a very complete dish and perfect for any day.