This easy and delicious Chicken Caesar Salad by Jamie Oliver is a perfect meal for any occasion. With crispy sourdough croutons, tender-brined chicken, and a creamy Caesar dressing, it’s a quick and nutritious dish that can be made with simple, common ingredients. Enjoy a fresh, hearty salad that’s full of flavor!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 x 2.5kg (5.5lb) whole free-range chicken
- 400g (14oz) sourdough bread
- 1 bulb of garlic
- Olive oil
- 1 x 50g (1.75oz) tin of anchovies in oil, from sustainable sources
- 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (30g / 1oz)
- 2 fresh red chillies
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 4 romaine lettuces
- 150g (5.3oz) mixed-colour radishes
- 1 cucumber
- ½ a bunch of fresh chives (15g / 0.5oz)
Brine:
- 4 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 4 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 2 litres (8.5 cups) fresh apple juice
- 100g (3.5oz) sea salt
- ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g / 0.5oz)
- 12 fresh bay leaves
- 6 dried red chillies
Caesar Dressing:
- 50g (1.75oz) Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 teaspoon English mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 250g (1 cup) Greek yoghurt
- 1 lemon
How To Make Chicken Caesar Salad
- Prepare the brine: Toast the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a large pot over high heat for 1 minute. Add the apple juice, sea salt, thyme, bay leaves, and crumbled dried chillies. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, add 1 liter (4.2 cups) of cold water, and allow to cool completely.
- Brine the chicken: Use a sharp knife to cut down the back of the chicken and open it flat. Place the chicken into the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. After brining, drain and pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper.
- Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Tear the sourdough into large chunks, and break up the garlic bulb. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over the chicken, then place it directly on the oven bars, skin side up, with a tray underneath to catch the juices. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. Add the sourdough and garlic cloves (unpeeled) to the tray and carefully toss to coat the juices. Roast for an additional 1 hour or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, tossing the croutons occasionally. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes before carving.
- Prepare the anchovy mix: Drain the anchovies, reserving the oil, and halve them lengthways. Arrange the anchovies in a criss-cross pattern on a plate. Finely chop the parsley stalks (reserving the leaves), slice the chillies, and scatter both over the anchovies. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon of the reserved anchovy oil, ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, half of the lemon zest, and squeeze over half of the lemon juice. Leave to marinate.
- Make the Caesar dressing: Grate the Parmesan cheese into a bowl, then add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Greek yoghurt. Whisk to combine. Squeeze in the lemon juice, add 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If needed, loosen it with a splash of water.
- Prepare the salad: Trim the romaine lettuces and radishes, and scrape the cucumber sides with a fork. Slice the radishes, cucumber, parsley leaves, and chives, then roughly chop the lettuces. Place everything in a large bowl. Add half of the croutons and half of the dressing, toss to combine, then shave over some extra Parmesan.
- Serve: Arrange the carved chicken and the remaining croutons on a serving board. Serve the salad with the marinated anchovies and extra dressing on the side for everyone to help themselves.
Recipe Tips
- Brine the chicken overnight: Allowing the chicken to brine for at least 12 hours will make it extra juicy and flavorful. Don’t skip this step for the best results!
- Use stale sourdough: If your sourdough isn’t stale, leave it out to dry for a few hours before tearing it into chunks. This helps the croutons crisp up perfectly.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep an eye on the chicken while roasting. It should be golden on the outside and cooked through but still juicy inside. Overcooking can dry it out.
- Marinate the anchovies: Let the anchovies marinate with the parsley, chillies, and lemon for at least 30 minutes. This brings out the full flavor and enhances the dressing.
- Taste the dressing: Before serving, always taste your Caesar dressing. If it’s too thick, add a little water to loosen it. Adjust the seasoning as needed to balance the flavors.
How To Store Leftovers?
Let the leftover Chicken Caesar Salad cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. The croutons may lose their crunch after storing.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 100g
- Calories: 200
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 480mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 5g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 12g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chicken And Mushroom Risotto
- Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Chicken Pie
- Jamie Oliver Tzatziki Chicken
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Wing Gravy
Jamie Oliver Chicken Caesar Salad
Description
This easy and delicious Chicken Caesar Salad by Jamie Oliver is a perfect meal for any occasion. With crispy sourdough croutons, tender-brined chicken, and a creamy Caesar dressing, it’s a quick and nutritious dish that can be made with simple, common ingredients. Enjoy a fresh, hearty salad that’s full of flavor!
Ingredients
Brine:
Caesar Dressing:
Instructions
- Prepare the brine: Toast the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a large pot over high heat for 1 minute. Add the apple juice, sea salt, thyme, bay leaves, and crumbled dried chillies. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, add 1 liter (4.2 cups) of cold water, and allow to cool completely.
- Brine the chicken: Use a sharp knife to cut down the back of the chicken and open it flat. Place the chicken into the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. After brining, drain and pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper.
- Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Tear the sourdough into large chunks, and break up the garlic bulb. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over the chicken, then place it directly on the oven bars, skin side up, with a tray underneath to catch the juices. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. Add the sourdough and garlic cloves (unpeeled) to the tray and carefully toss to coat the juices. Roast for an additional 1 hour or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, tossing the croutons occasionally. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes before carving.
- Prepare the anchovy mix: Drain the anchovies, reserving the oil, and halve them lengthways. Arrange the anchovies in a criss-cross pattern on a plate. Finely chop the parsley stalks (reserving the leaves), slice the chillies, and scatter both over the anchovies. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon of the reserved anchovy oil, ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, half of the lemon zest, and squeeze over half of the lemon juice. Leave to marinate.
- Make the Caesar dressing: Grate the Parmesan cheese into a bowl, then add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Greek yoghurt. Whisk to combine. Squeeze in the lemon juice, add 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If needed, loosen it with a splash of water.
- Prepare the salad: Trim the romaine lettuces and radishes, and scrape the cucumber sides with a fork. Slice the radishes, cucumber, parsley leaves, and chives, then roughly chop the lettuces. Place everything in a large bowl. Add half of the croutons and half of the dressing, toss to combine, then shave over some extra Parmesan.
- Serve: Arrange the carved chicken and the remaining croutons on a serving board. Serve the salad with the marinated anchovies and extra dressing on the side for everyone to help themselves.
Notes
- Brine the chicken overnight: Allowing the chicken to brine for at least 12 hours will make it extra juicy and flavorful. Don’t skip this step for the best results!
- Use stale sourdough: If your sourdough isn’t stale, leave it out to dry for a few hours before tearing it into chunks. This helps the croutons crisp up perfectly.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep an eye on the chicken while roasting. It should be golden on the outside and cooked through but still juicy inside. Overcooking can dry it out.
- Marinate the anchovies: Let the anchovies marinate with the parsley, chillies, and lemon for at least 30 minutes. This brings out the full flavor and enhances the dressing.
- Taste the dressing: Before serving, always taste your Caesar dressing. If it’s too thick, add a little water to loosen it. Adjust the seasoning as needed to balance the flavors.
Jamie Oliver Chicken Caesar Salad