This delicious Healthy Caesar Salad by Jamie Oliver is a quick, easy, and nutritious meal with a creamy dressing, crispy croutons, and juicy roasted chicken. It’s perfect for any occasion and can be customized with your favorite salad leaves or herbs. Enjoy it hot or cold for a flavorful twist on a classic!
Ingredients Needed
- 4 whole free-range or organic chicken legs, skin on (about 1 kg or 2.2 lbs)
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread (about 250 g or 9 oz), torn into thumb-sized pieces
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 thin slices of pancetta or bacon (about 150 g or 5 oz)
- 1/4 clove peeled garlic
- 4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained (about 30 g or 1 oz)
- 85 g freshly grated Parmesan (about 3 oz), plus a few shavings to serve
- 1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche (about 15 g or 0.5 oz)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for dressing)
- 2 or 3 heads of romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded
How To Make Healthy Caesar Salad
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Prepare the chicken and bread: Place the chicken legs in a snug-fitting roasting pan with the torn-up ciabatta bread. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to ensure everything is well-coated, then lift the chicken legs up to sit above the bread, so the bread soaks up the chicken juices. This makes the best croutons!
- Roast the chicken and croutons: Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Lay the pancetta or bacon over the chicken and bread, then return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes until everything is crisped up. The chicken should be easily pulled off the bone.
- Make the dressing: While the chicken is roasting, pound the garlic and anchovy fillets in a pestle and mortar or a Flavor Shaker until you have a pulp. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the grated Parmesan, creme fraiche, lemon juice, and 3 times as much extra-virgin olive oil as lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad: Once the chicken has cooled slightly, pull the meat off the bone and tear it up. Toss the chicken, croutons, and pancetta with the creamy dressing. Tear up the romaine lettuce leaves and add them to the salad, tossing everything together. Finish by scattering Parmesan shavings over the top.
Recipe Tips
- Use skin-on chicken legs: The skin adds extra flavor and helps keep the chicken juicy while roasting. It also crisps up nicely when added with the pancetta at the end.
- Make your croutons: Tear the ciabatta bread into pieces instead of using store-bought croutons. The bread will soak up the delicious chicken juices, making it crispy and flavorful.
- Don’t skip the rosemary: Fresh rosemary adds a lovely earthy flavor to the chicken and croutons. It’s a small touch that enhances the dish.
- Whisk the dressing well: For a creamy texture, make sure to whisk the dressing thoroughly with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil to get the perfect balance of flavors.
How To Store Leftovers?
Let the leftover Caesar salad cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the dressing separate to avoid soggy croutons.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 360g)
- Calories: 461
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Total Carbohydrate: 14g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 34g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Red Cabbage Salad
- Jamie Oliver Warm Broccoli Salad
- Jamie Oliver Blueberry Peach Feta Salad
- Jamie Oliver French Bean Salad
Jamie Oliver Healthy Caesar Salad
Description
This delicious Healthy Caesar Salad by Jamie Oliver is a quick, easy, and nutritious meal with a creamy dressing, crispy croutons, and juicy roasted chicken. It’s perfect for any occasion and can be customized with your favorite salad leaves or herbs. Enjoy it hot or cold for a flavorful twist on a classic!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Prepare the chicken and bread: Place the chicken legs in a snug-fitting roasting pan with the torn-up ciabatta bread. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to ensure everything is well-coated, then lift the chicken legs up to sit above the bread, so the bread soaks up the chicken juices. This makes the best croutons! - Roast the chicken and croutons: Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Lay the pancetta or bacon over the chicken and bread, then return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes until everything is crisped up. The chicken should be easily pulled off the bone.
- Roast the chicken and croutons: Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Lay the pancetta or bacon over the chicken and bread, then return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes until everything is crisped up. The chicken should be easily pulled off the bone.
- Make the dressing: While the chicken is roasting, pound the garlic and anchovy fillets in a pestle and mortar or a Flavor Shaker until you have a pulp. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the grated Parmesan, creme fraiche, lemon juice, and 3 times as much extra-virgin olive oil as lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad: Once the chicken has cooled slightly, pull the meat off the bone and tear it up. Toss the chicken, croutons, and pancetta with the creamy dressing. Tear up the romaine lettuce leaves and add them to the salad, tossing everything together. Finish by scattering Parmesan shavings over the top.
Notes
- Use skin-on chicken legs: The skin adds extra flavor and helps keep the chicken juicy while roasting. It also crisps up nicely when added with the pancetta at the end.
- Make your croutons: Tear the ciabatta bread into pieces instead of using store-bought croutons. The bread will soak up the delicious chicken juices, making it crispy and flavorful.
- Don’t skip the rosemary: Fresh rosemary adds a lovely earthy flavor to the chicken and croutons. It’s a small touch that enhances the dish.
- Whisk the dressing well: For a creamy texture, make sure to whisk the dressing thoroughly with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil to get the perfect balance of flavors.
Jamie Oliver Healthy Caesar Salad