Description
This salad includes a wonderfully juicy spatchcocked chicken and the most glorious chicken-dripping croutons and is paired with crisp and fresh greens and my delicious and light Caesar dressing.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
- 2 anchovy fillets
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ – ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 1 whole (4 to 5 pound) chicken, spatchcocked (Tip: you can ask your butcher to spatchcock your chicken if you’re not feeling up to it!)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if necessary
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon, divided
- 8 slices gluten free or regular bread (I recommend sourdough), cut into 1 ½-inch squares for large croutons
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup French green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup English peas
- 8 ounces baby romaine
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or chives
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Crack egg into a Mason Jar. Using a hand blender, slowly add oil as you blend, pausing to let it incorporate. Continue to slowly add more oil. Then add the garlic and the anchovies and blend. Add the Dijon, lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper and blend well. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
Make the salad:
- Preheat your oven to 450F.
- Rub the olive oil all over the spatchcocked chicken, making sure to cover the front and back then sprinkle the tablespoon of salt evenly on both sides of the chicken.
- Lay your chicken flat on a baking sheet and roast the chicken in the oven for 55 minutes, rotating halfway, or until the chicken is golden brown and, if using a meat thermometer, reaches 165F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Take the chicken out of the oven and transfer the chicken onto a board to allow it to rest.
- In the same baking sheet, toss the cubed bread in the chicken drippings and add an additional tablespoon of olive oil or more if necessary for the bread to be fully coated. Add the teaspoon of salt and garlic powder and toss to combine. Arrange the bread in a single layer.
- Bake at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes, but check on the croutons at 5 and 10 minutes to make sure they’re not burning or flipping them if needed. Remove the baking sheet from the oven once the croutons are done. Note: Feel free to make extra croutons because boy are they good.
- Bring a medium pot with water to boil and salt your water. Blanche the French green beans and peas for 3 minutes then transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and dry the vegetables and set them aside.
- After the chicken has rested, cut off the chicken legs and wings and save them for another use Remove the breast meat from the bone and cut each breast into ¾ inch thick slices. Cut each slice into 1-inch chunks and set aside.
- Add the romaine to a large serving bowl and salt the greens. Add the blanched vegetables, cubed chicken, herbs, and a half cup of the Caesar dressing and toss. Add the croutons over top and serve!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 764
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 1154.1 mg
- Fat: 58.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Protein: 41.9 g
- Cholesterol: 165.3 mg