Today I bring you one of the most popular summer salads, the classic Caesar salad, and I suggest a different way to prepare the chicken breasts, yielding a juicy and very flavorful result that will delight everyone at home. This Caesar salad with marinated chicken breasts have no secrets, but they will turn your dish into a show.
On these hot days, lighter meals that can be ready in very little time are more appealing. And today's recipe meets these two principles of summer cooking. Preparing the marinade for the breasts is very quick and, once marinated, you only have to cook them on the griddle or on the cast-iron skillet to cook them.
Also, so you hardly have to worry about washing dishes, I invite you to present the marinated chicken breasts in the salad, sliced into medallions and added as another ingredient along with the lettuce and tomatoes, turning everything into a single, very flavorful dish.
Shall we go with the recipe? First, I'll tell you a little secret about this recipe...
About the perfect dressing to accompany the Caesar salad
The Caesar salad traditionally carries a dressing called "Caesar dressing". This dressing is known for its creamy, savory flavor. Although there are variations in recipes, the classic version of Caesar dressing includes the following ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Egg yolk
- Anchovies
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Black pepper
- Salt
These ingredients are mixed and emulsified until a smooth, homogeneous texture is obtained. Caesar dressing is used to dress Caesar salad, which usually includes romaine lettuce, croutons (toasted bread pieces), grated Parmesan cheese, and, optionally, chicken on the grill.
It's important to bear in mind that the Caesar dressing recipe can vary slightly according to personal taste and regional preferences, but the ingredients mentioned are the most common in its preparation.
That said, there are variations and modern versions of this salad that use a yogurt dressing instead of classic Caesar dressing, and that's how I bring it to you today to make the recipe easier (since summer is for resting — even from the kitchen!).
You can find yogurt dressing easily in the refrigerated section of large supermarkets, or you can make it yourself at home (I'll show you how to make it below).
Yogurt dressing can add a touch of creaminess and a refreshing flavor to the Caesar salad, complementing the other ingredients — namely, the lettuce, croutons and cheese.
Ingredients
For marinating 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 dried)
- Fresh basil (a few leaves)
- Salt
- Whole black pepper
- Smoked paprika flakes (or hot if you prefer)
- A few bay leaves
For the salad:
- Cherry tomatoes (5 or 6 per person)
- A few lettuce leaves or one heart of lettuce per person
- Parmesan cheese flakes (optional)
- Croutons
- Yogurt dressing*
*You can buy ready-made yogurt dressing, or make it at home. Yogurt dressing for the Caesar salad is made by mixing natural yogurt (preferably Greek) with lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Preparation
We marinate and roast the chicken breasts:
- Grate or chop the garlic cloves very finely.
- In a large bowl or a glass container put the olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked or hot paprika flakes, chopped basil leaves, grated garlic cloves and the rosemary leaves.
- Mix everything very well and place the breasts in the container, coating them thoroughly so they are well impregnated.
- Add a few chopped bay leaves and close the container or cover the bowl with cling film or with a silicone lid.
- Let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 to 4 hours, turning the breasts halfway through the time, so the chicken soaks up all the aromas. You can leave it a few more hours if you want the flavors to be more intense.
- After the marinating time has passed, take the container out of the fridge and remove the breasts. Discard the marinade left in the container.
- Heat a griddle or a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush with a little EVOO.
- When the skillet is very hot, put the breasts in and let them sear before turning them.
- When the breasts are done, remove them from the skillet and let them cool slightly before slicing them.
We prepare the Caesar salad
- Put the lettuce leaves in a bowl
- Add the clean cherry tomatoes cut in half.
- Sprinkle a little salt on the tomatoes and lettuce.
- Arrange the sliced breast over the bowl with the salad.
- Add some croutons and, optionally, some Parmesan flakes.
- Dress with yogurt dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
- The indicated quantities of the marinating ingredients are a guide. You can add more garlic if you like it a lot or omit it if you prefer it without. Add any other aromatic herb you like or make it with just one, so its aroma is the star.
- You can use any mild dressing instead of yogurt dressing (above you have the ingredients to make the traditional Caesar dressing, or you can add a cheese sauce or another of your choosing).
- 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 serve the chicken with a tomato salad, with a glass of gazpacho, with a bit of rice or with fries or roasted potatoes. The way I present it is a very complete dish and perfect for any day.
