Chicken Caesar Salad

Sorry about no post yesterday, Friday I had Internet problems, yesterday I had Daughter problems, never mind I am back on track today.

With the warm weather we have been having in the last couple of days my mind has wandered to Summer recipes this is one of my core recipes that can be made in a very short amount of time.

You can add more to this salad, I sometimes chop up potatoes into small cubes and cook with the chicken and bacon. You can even leave the croutons out if you don't have stale bread to make them. I did on Monday. You can add more vegies like small tomatoes or steamed asparagus. I know that these don't normally come in a Caesar Salad, but this salad is a vehicle for extra things.

Now there are anchovies in the dressing, Mr CLI isn't that keen on them unless they are on a pizza he ate the dressing without any complaints. You could leave them out, but please try at least one in the dressing as they add an extra something in flavour.

Chicken Caesar Salad - enough for 4 people

Chicken - 1 chicken breast per person, cut into tenderloin size strips, 1 rasher of bacon: fat and rind removed per person, 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped, olive oil, stale crusty bread cut into 2 cm cubes as much as you want per person

Salad - cos lettuce, shaved Parmesan

Dressing - 4 anchovy fillets, juice 1 lemon = 2 tbsps, 1/2 cup greek yoghurt or creme fresh, 1 clove garlic, 2 heaped tbsps grated Parmesan, ground black pepper, 3 tbsps olive oil

Dressing - In a mortar and pestle grind the anchovy fillets and garlic till a paste, stir in the remaining ingredients. Taste it may need more pepper, juice or Parmesan.

My dressing in the mortar. Sorry about the sun reflection in photo.

Chicken - Preheat your oven 200.c. Line a baking tray with baking/parchment paper. Place the chicken and bread cubes on the tray, sprinkle with the rosemary, drizzle with oil. Drape the bacon over. Place in the oven check after 15 - 20 minutes the bacon should be cooked and crispy around the edges, but not hard. Remove onto paper towel. Turn the croutons and chicken over. Cook another 10 - 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the croutons are crispy, if the croutons are cooking to quickly remove them also onto paper towel. When the chicken is cooked remove from the tray and slice into bite size pieces. Break/cut the bacon into bite size pieces.

While the chicken is cooking make the dressing, tear or slice the cos lettuce into bite size pieces and place into serving bowls. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, pour off boiling water, leaving the eggs in the saucepan, fill with cool water leave till needed, then peel and cut into 1/4's lengthwise.

To serve top the lettuce with chicken, croutons and bacon. Drizzle with dressing then top with shaved Parmesan.