Lemon Kale Caesar Salad with Chicken

As the weather warms up and a fresh breeze fills the air, this Lemon Kale Caesar Salad is sure to become your favorite. This refreshing salad is to be served with warm, grilled chicken on a bed of romaine lettuce and kale, garnished with shaved parmesan cheese and fresh lemon wedges. Served with Lemon Parmesan Panko or Moon Cheese this adds a delightful crunch as well as a Lemon Caesar Vinaigrette dressing.

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Total Time 2

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Chicken, Salad

Servings Servings

Ingredients

Dressing and Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon about 1/4 cup lemon
2 cloves garlic more to taste
2-3 teaspoons dijon mustard
2-3 teaspoons honey
Zest of a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken:

2 chicken breasts cut into cubes
Pour dressing over them and let sit for 30 mins to 1 hour

Salad:

8 cups romaine lettuce rinsed, dried, and cut into bite-sized pieces (275g)
⅓ cup curly kale ribs removed and torn into small pieces (24g)

Garnish:

0.7 oz Parmesan cheese shards 20g
4 lemon wedges seeds removed
1 oz Parmesan Moon Cheese seasoned croutons, or Panko. (Break moon cheese into pieces)

Instructions

MARINATING THE CHICKEN:

Pound- Place one large boneless, skinless chicken breast into a zip top bag. Keep the bag open to let the air escape and pound it thin using the flat end of the meat mallet. Repeat with the other breast.
Whisk- Combine the pickle juice and milk in a 2-cup measuring cup.
Marinate - Pour the marinade into the bag of chicken breast, then seal it. Massage the marinade into the meat with your hand, then refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

LEMON CAESAR VINAIGRETTE:

Shake- Pour all the dressing ingredients except the two oils into a small mason jar. Tightly screw on a lid and shake well, then add the oils and shake again until well combined. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes ½ cup.

GRILLING THE CHICKEN:

Warm Up- Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to warm up to room temperature before grilling, about 30 minutes.
Blot Dry- Use paper towel to pat dry both sides of each chicken breast.
Grill- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 10-inch cast iron grill pan and allow it to heat up for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Carefully place one chicken breast on the grill. Cook for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 4 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken, then cook for 4 minutes on the other side, or until it has an internal temperature of 165 F on a meat thermometer. Repeat with the other breast.
Rest- Place the grilled chicken breast on a clean plate, cover loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. During this time, the chicken will continue to cook and will release its juices.
Cut- Use a sharp knife to cut the cooled chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, making sure to slice against the grain of the meat. You should have 40 to 45 nuggets.

FINISHING THE SALAD:

Assemble- Fill a plate with the romaine lettuce, then sprinkle on the kale and Parmesan cheese chards. Place 10 grilled chicken nuggets on each salad. Sprinkle on the Parmesan crisps, and place two lemon wedges on the edge of the plate. Just before eating, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon Caesar vinaigrette on top. Make sure that each guest squeezes both lemon wedges over the salad right before eating for the best flavor.

Video

Notes

You could make these with your favorite nuggets but in summer its better to make your own. Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours for the best flavor, but 24 hours is even better. Don't go beyond 24 hours, as the marinade will start to break down the proteins in the meat too much.
For the maximum lemon flavor, don't skip the zest in the spice rub.
Have patience when grilling; flip the chicken when it doesn't stick to the pan.
Assemble the salad right before eating for maximum freshness and crunch.
To make the lemon Parmesan panko topping: toss plain panko bread crumbs, lemon zest, olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

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