Description

This is such a hearty dinner salad that you could absolutely serve it as a stand-alone meal. It has juicy roasted chicken, avocado, crunchy croutons, tomatoes and Parmesan, plus a tangy, bright dressing reminiscent of Caesar dressing, but anchovy-free! Substitute with a good rotisserie chicken to make this even faster to put together.

Ingredients

Scale

2 to 2-1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
Olive oil, as needed
3 ounces rustic country bread (preferably whole wheat), torn or cut into 1-inch cubes

DRESSING:

2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) freshly ground Parmesan
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce, to taste
1 garlic clove, grated with a microplane
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

TO ASSEMBLE:

5 ounces baby kale (you can also use 1 bunch of curly or Lacinato kale instead)
4 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) shaved Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the chicken breasts on the sheet pan, drizzle both sides with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Ensure the skin side is facing up and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken, until the chicken is cooked through and registers 160° in the thickest part of the breast. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin, cut the meat from the bone and shred into bite-sized pieces with your fingers or two forks. Set aside.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. In a large mixing bowl, add the bread cubes and drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil all over. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the preheated skillet and toast until crisp and lightly golden on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.
To make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.
To assemble, toss together the kale, bread cubes, tomatoes, chicken and enough dressing to coat. Place on 4 serving plates; arrange the avocado slices on each plate and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan and chopped chives. Grate a little more fresh pepper on top. Serve with the remaining dressing.

Notes

Inspiration: Kale Buttermilk Caesar Salad with Roasted Chicken on cookingchanneltv.com

Category: Salads, Chicken