This salad might be more than something special! It’s a salad or a full-fledged meal because Anything-Goes Caesar Salad pulls out all the stops! Creamy, tangy, and flavorful Caesar dressing, garlic croutons, and succulent bacon crumbles all come together to make this Caesar salad extra filling and extra fantastic. And when you add some pan-seared chicken and hard-boiled eggs? Well, Anything-Goes Caesar Salad makes sure you’ll be going the extra mile for the rest of the day!
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
- 2 anchovy fillets or 3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 3 tablespoons milk, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more, to taste
For the garlic croutons:
- 2-3 (2-3-inch-thick) slices white bread
- 1 clove garlic, cut in half
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the salad:
- 5 ounces streaky bacon
- 10 cups romaine lettuce
- 1 pound chicken breast fillets, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and halved
- parmesan cheese, to taste, grated, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –In the container of a food processer, add the mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic, the anchovy, the lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, 3 tablespoons of the milk, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper and blend until smooth.
Step 2 –Taste the dressing mixture and add the extra salt and the extra pepper as needed. If the dressing is too thick, add the extra milk, a little at a time and up to 1 tablespoon, blending after each addition until it reaches the right consistency.
Step 3 –Cover the dressing and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Step 4 –In a cold skillet, add the bacon, then turn the heat to medium-high and cook the bacon until golden brown on both sides.
Step 5 –Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool, then chop and set aside.
Step 6 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 7 –Toast the bread in the oven until the surface is dried but not browned, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 8 –Rub the garlic halves on both sides of the lightly toasted bread slices.
Step 9 –If desired, cut and remove the crusts of the bread, then cut the bread into cubes.
Step 10 –Drizzle the bread cubes with 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 11 –Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet.
Step 12 –Bake the bread cubes, shaking them once during their baking time, until they are golden, about 7-15 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the bread used; sandwich bread will need less time than sourdough or similar breads.
Step 13 –In a bowl, add the lettuce and 1/2 of the dressing and toss well to combine.
Step 14 –Taste the lettuce and dressing together to determine if you would like more dressing on the salad. You may not need all of the dressing you made.
Step 15 –Transfer the salad mixture to a serving bowl.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper on both sides.
Step 17 –In the same skillet used to cook the bacon over medium-high heat, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 18 –Flip the chicken and cook until the bottom is golden and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Step 19 –Transfer the chicken to a plate and immediately cover it with foil.
Step 20 –Let the chicken rest until it comes to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
Step 21 –Slice the chicken.
Step 22 –Top the salad mixture with the chopped bacon, the cooked chicken, and the eggs.
Step 23 –Serve topped with the extra parmesan cheese.
