Chicken and Bacon Caesar Salad

Chicken and bacon caesar salad is one of my all time favourite meals. It’s full of delicious and rich flavours, while being refreshingly tantalising too. Combining garlic butter baked chicken breasts, crispy smoked bacon, gingerly cherry tomatoes and rosemary baked potatoes and mushrooms served up with homemade caesar salad dressing, who could ask for more?! Easy to prepare and full of nutrition, chicken and bacon caesar salad is a firm family favourite.

mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions for caesar salad

Chicken and bacon caesar salad

Serves 4 as a main course

1 Iceberg lettuce or 2 Romaine lettuce hearts

4 chicken breasts

4 slices of smoked back bacon

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, rinsed

2 handfuls chestnut mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

1 large red onion, sliced

1 avocado, chopped

2 handfuls new potatoes, rinsed and sliced

1″ piece of ginger

2 large knobs of butter

1 tbsp dried rosemary sprigs

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Extra Parmesan cheese for topping the meal (optional)

Salt and black pepper

For the dressing:

4 tbsp Greek yoghurt

4 anchovy fillets, chopped finely

1 tbsp lemon juice

30g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

How to prepare chicken and bacon caesar salad

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas 4.

Combine the garlic and one of the knobs of butter in a small bowl. Cut out 4 pieces of cooking foil and 4 pieces of baking parchment (just large enough to form a packet for each chicken breast). Cover each breast in the garlic butter then place each breast on a piece of baking parchment then wrap tightly in the foil. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for approximately 40 minutes.

Next line a baking tin with baking parchment and add the bacon. Cook in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until browned and crispy. When the bacon is ready, remove and set aside to cool.

Roasting the vegetables

In another baking tin (line with parchment) melt the other knob of butter. Once melted, add the sliced potatoes and rosemary and roast (covered) for approximately 15 minutes. Next add the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, ginger and balsamic vinegar and combine well. Roast (uncovered) for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the dressing by crushing up the anchovies in a pestle and mortar and combining all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Rinse the lettuce leaves, pat dry and arrange between 4 plates. Chop the avocado into medium sized chunks.

Remove the chicken breasts from their packets and allow to cool for a few minutes. Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, pull the breasts apart and divide between the four plates. Next break up the bacon into small pieces and scatter those on top of the chicken. Scatter the roast vegetables over the chicken and bacon bits, then top with the chopped avocado, the caesar dressing and extra parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.