A classic Caesar salad with crispy chicken, bacon, and homemade emulsified dressing. Originating from a Mexican hotel in the 1920s, this dish was created by a chef named Caesar, with chicken added in the 1960s.
chicken supreme (bone-in, skin-on chicken breast with wing)or regular chicken breast if unavailable~2est.
streaky baconnot back bacon~150 gest.
French sticksliced about 0.5 cm thick for croutons~1est.
olive oilgood quality extra virgin olive oil~100 mlest.
eggssoft-boiled, cooked for 7 minutes~2est.
egg yolksfor dressing, raw; use pasteurized if preferred2
anchoviesnice big anchovies
3-4
garlic1 clove, or 1/2 clove for less intensity; finely grated1
Dijon mustard~1 tbspest.
Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
Parmesan cheesefinely grated20 g
lemonjuice only½
salt~to tasteest.
black or white pepperwhite pepper doesn't show specks~to tasteest.
waterto thin dressing if needed, room temperature~1-2 tbspest.
Steps
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1
Place bacon in a cold pan with a splash of water to help render the fat. Once the water evaporates, the bacon will begin to crisp. Cook on medium-low heat, letting the food tell you when it's ready to flip.
2
Prepare the chicken supreme and season the skin side with salt. Once bacon is crispy, remove to a rack, keeping the rendered fat in the pan.
3
Make croutons by slicing the French stick into 0.5 cm pieces, brushing with olive oil and salt on both sides. Bake at 180°C for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cool before serving.
4
Bring water to a boil, add eggs and simmer for 7 minutes to achieve a soft-boiled, jammy center. Transfer to cold water to stop cooking.
5
Cut the romaine lettuce into thirds to make it easy to eat with just a fork while holding the bowl. Set aside.
6
Season the other side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the pan to medium and place the chicken skin-side down. Use a protein press or weight on top to ensure good contact with the pan. Cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the skin is crispy and well-colored.
7
Make the dressing in the bowl you'll serve the salad in. Add 2 egg yolks and 3-4 anchovies, then mash together with a fork until well combined.
8
Finely grate 1 clove of garlic (or half if you prefer less intensity) into the bowl and mix.
9
Add Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, then mix well. This helps create an emulsion.
10
Add approximately 20 g of finely grated Parmesan cheese and pepper, then mix.
11
Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and stir through. The dressing will thin slightly.
12
Slowly drizzle in good quality extra virgin olive oil while stirring constantly to create an emulsion. If the dressing becomes too thick, add a little room-temperature water to thin it out and prevent it from splitting.
13
Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of about 62°C. Flip and finish cooking on the other side. Once done, let it cool slightly to near room temperature before carving into pieces with skin attached.
14
Assemble the salad by dressing the lettuce in the bowl, adding about half the croutons and some crumbled bacon. Toss thoroughly to ensure every piece of lettuce is coated with dressing.
15
Transfer the tossed salad to a serving plate. Top with soft-boiled eggs, remaining croutons, large bacon pieces, and carved chicken pieces. Finish with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
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