Chicken salad with Caesar dressing and chicken skin croutons

A classic cafe chicken salad with Caesar dressing and crispy chicken skin croutons that is easy to make and tastes amazing with a citrus and herb twist. Perfect lunch or light dinner for the warmer weather.

  • Prep Time

    20 Minutes

  • Cook Time

    20 Minutes

  • Serves

    2 People

Ingredients

  • 2 small chicken breasts with skin on
  • ½ cup parsley leaves, washed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 4 tablespoons low salt chicken stock
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • spray olive oil

for the salad

  • ½ head cos lettuce, washed
  • 2 sticks of celery, leaves trimmed and finely sliced
  • 1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut in ribbons
  • ½ cup parsley leaves, washed

for the dressing

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 heaped tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 anchovy fillets (add more if you like a punchy dressing)
  • juice of up to 1 lemon ( to your taste)
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

to garnish

  • a few chopped chives

You'll Need

  • Multix Cling
  • Multix Bake
  • Multix Alfoil
  • Butcher’s string

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Remove the skin from each chicken breast, and place the skin on a oven tray lined with Multix Alfoil that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil. Stretch the skin out as flat as you can get it and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside on paper towel to drain any excess fat. Mix the parsley, chives, lemon zest and salt and pepper. With a sharp knife, cut a pocket the full length of each chicken breast and fill with the chopped herbs and then close the pocket. Season the outside of each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. Place the stuffed chicken in the centre of a sheet of Multix Bake. Fold the baking paper in half with the chicken in the centre and tie both ends with butchers string to form a bowl. Sit it upright and add 2 tablespoons chicken stock, then fold the open edges to make a sealed parcel to steam the chicken in. Repeat the process with the second breast.
  2. Steam the parcels in a vegetable steamer with the lid on, over large pan filled with boiling water for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. While the chicken is poaching make the salad dressing. Using a food processer or a pestle and mortar add all the salad dressing ingredients and process till smooth. Check seasoning and add salt pepper and additional lemon juice if required. Assemble the salad leaves on 2 plates. Take the chicken out of the steamer, carefully open the parcels (watch out for hot steam, open away from you) and pour out any of the chicken stock. To serve, cut each chicken breast in diagonal slices and place on top of the salad leaves. Drizzle with dressing and top with the chicken skin cut in crispy strips and chopped chives.
Posted in Entertaining, Entrees, Lunch, Quick & Easy, Summer