This is a quick and delicious dinner salad, or lunch. Be prepared to use breath mints after eating and for the next day. There is a lot of flavourful garlic in the dressing.
This recipe was made for 2 people only but there is enough dressing to make it for 6 people. Just increase the amount of cajun chicken and romaine lettuce.
NOTE: For the salad dressing, this is one of the recipes where preparing the ingredients in stages is needed – in order to achieve the right consistency.
INGREDIENTS –
2 tbsp (30 ml) +/- grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) +/- cajun seasoning (hy’s cajun seasonings is my favourite)
1 head of romaine lettuce
Salad Dressing –
2 to 3 anchovie fillets
8 to 10 garlic cloves
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
4 shakes worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) dijon mustard
2 shakes hot sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) black pepper
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) celery salt
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1/2 lemon, juice of
2 cups (500 ml) asiago or parmesan cheese, shredded
PREPARATION –
- Blend oil, anchovies and garlic in a blender on low setting until everything is pureed and looks more like a slightly thick paste.
- Blend in next seven ingredients. The mixture will now be quite a thick paste.
- Add remaining three ingredients, one at a time, and blend on low. Be sure not to over mix at this point. Set aside once mixed.
- Cut romaine into bite size pieces, rinse in cold water and spin dry. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add thin chicken strips to pan and sprinkle with cajun seasoning.
- Stir chicken and seasonings together and saute chicken until cooked through – be careful not to overcook. I forgot to time this but it was under 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken from heat.
- In a large bowl mix together romaine lettuce and enough dressing to generously coat each piece. (There will be salad dressing leftovers if you’re cooking for only 2 – the dressing should last at least 5 days in the fridge.)
- Add roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of shredded cheese to salad and toss.
- Spoon salad onto plates (I like to use pasta plates – they’re usually smaller than dinner plates and their low sides keep things like salad easily on the plate).
- Top with cajun chicken and sprinkle a bit of cheese over top for presentation.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!