Salads, Meals, gluten-freeAmy Baruchsalad, Leafy greens, Avocado, Chicken, Brussel sprouts, garlic, kale, mango, dressing, Caesar dressing , TomatoesComment

Tropical Caesar

Salads, Meals, gluten-freeAmy Baruchsalad, Leafy greens, Avocado, Chicken, Brussel sprouts, garlic, kale, mango, dressing, Caesar dressing , TomatoesComment
Tropical Caesar

A ripe mango and avocado, along with the mid-August heat-wave were the inspiration for this recipe. I used a Caesar dressing that is tried and true and substituted lime and lime zest and added a little heat. The grilled chicken recipe is unchanged from the original except for the addition of garlic. Where there is minced ginger, there should be garlic, right? Substitute or add any vegetables to the salad. Enjoy.

Tweaked from https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-kale-caesar-salad (Caesar dressing) AND chicken recipe from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021294-ginger-lime-chicken (chicken)

Tropical Caesar

Caesar Dressing

6 tablespoons mayonnaise (made from olive oil)

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (substitute lime)

zest of 1/2 lime

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

4 teaspoons minced garlic

4 generous squeezes of anchovy paste

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce

Freshly ground pepper (salt not needed with parmesan cheese and anchovy paste)

Grilled Chicken 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Kosher salt and black pepper

⅓ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lime zest (from about 2 limes), plus lime wedges, for serving

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (from a 3-inch piece of peeled ginger)

3 cloves garlic pressed

Salad Components

2 handfuls of baby kale/serving

2-4 thinly sliced raw Brussel sprouts/serving

1/2 chopped or sliced mango/serving

1/2 large dice or sliced avocado/serving

1/2 cup of baby tomatoes/serving, halved

1/2 shallot, thinly sliced/serving (or No Crumbs Left marinated onion)

DRESSING: In a large bowl (or mini food processor), whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, parmesan, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, anchovy paste and 1/4 cup water. In a stready stream, whisk in the oil.  Set aside. There will be left over dressing. 

CHICKEN: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime zest, ginger and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise mixture and coat well. The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before cooking.

To grill: Heat a grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken over direct heat until cooked through and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts, turning as necessary to avoid burning.

To cook in a skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the chicken until juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts.

Slice chicken against the grain. 

ASSEMBLE: Gather your salad ingredients, multiplying the amount of salad fixings for the number of servings. Combine the shaved Brussel’s and kale. Coat with desired amount of dressing. Plate. Top with mango, avocado, tomatoes, marinated onion, and sliced chicken. Add additional dressing as desired. Lastly, sprinkle a small amount of salt and squeeze lime over the entire salad. Voila.