Pan-Grilled Chicken Caesar Salads with Garlic Bread

To me, Caesar salad dressing is one of the best tasting of all salad dressings. It’s rich, creamy, and tangy, and a little bit goes a long way. Typical ingredients—and supposedly the original ingredients—include egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.

Variations abound, of course, and today Caesar dressing often includes minced anchovies, Dijon mustard, wine vinegars, and Romano cheese. To enjoy the real taste of a Caesar salad, don’t stray too far from the common ingredients. You may make a good-tasting salad, but it won’t be a Caesar.

About that egg yolk: Don’t use it if you’re concerned about the possibility of its containing salmonella bacteria. The chance is slim but it does exist. I sometimes make the dressing without the egg, and it’s still very tasty—the texture just isn’t as creamy. When I do use a yolk, I usually go raw, but I've also pasteurized the egg first (which the USFDA says can’t be done in a home kitchen, so do your own research and make your own decision).

The idea behind pasteurizing the egg in hot water is to kill the bacteria without cooking the egg. There’s a fine line between the two, since the temperature of the water needs to reach about 140° F to kill any salmonella, but the egg will begin to cook at about 145–155° F (depending on size). Timing and temperature are key to the process.

The method I use is noted below. If you don’t have a digital thermometer that can be held in the water as it heats, don’t use this method. (Pasteurized eggs are sold in some markets. If you can find them and don’t mind the price, go that route or skip the yolk in the recipe.)

One Type of Digital Thermometer

• Set a medium egg out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Place the egg in a small saucepan and cover with cold water.
• Place the pan over medium heat and hold a digital thermometer in the water so that it does not touch the bottom or sides of the pan—only the water. (If you have a thermometer clip that will hold it away from the edges, you can use that instead.)

Keep the Tip of the Thermometer in the Water Only

• When the temperature reads between 140° F and 144° F, remove the pan from the heat and set a timer for 3 minutes. 
• Have a lid ready to place on the pan if the temperature begins to drop close to 140° F. Remove or set the lid ajar if it rises above 144° F.
• After 3 minutes, remove the egg from the pan and rinse under cold water. You can use the yolk right away or refrigerate up to a few days.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1 pasteurized egg yolk
• 1 canned, flat anchovy, rinsed, patted dry, and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Finely Chopped Anchovy and Garlic

Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the Salad

• olive oil, for brushing
• 1 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small head of romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise, large outer leaves removed
• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

Romaine Quarters

Preparation

For the Dressing

1. Whisk the egg yolk in a large bowl. Add the anchovy, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk well to combine.

Pasteurized Egg Yolk

Whisked Yolk

Dressing before Cheese Is Added

1. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano-Reggiano just before tossing with the lettuce and chicken.

For the Salad

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill until slightly charred and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove to a cutting board and let cool to room temperature.

Pan-Grilled Chicken Breast

1. Using a rubber spatula, scrape out any bits of chicken in the grill pan and wipe clean. Brush with more oil and lay the romaine quarters cut-side down in the pan. Grill until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board.

Pan-Grilled Romaine

1. Brush the pan with more oil and grill the bread slices until char marks appear, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and rub each with the cut side of a garlic clove half.

Pan-Grilled Bread

To serve, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and coarsely chop the lettuce. Add the chicken and romaine to the dressing and toss well. Divide the salad between 2 plates and serve the garlic bread alongside.

Tossed Salad