Ina Garten’s Caesar salad with pancetta is a classic. In this recipe, I’ve “hacked it” to be a bit healthier by replacing the romaine lettuce with kale and replacing the pancetta with grilled chicken. With Ina’s rich and creamy dressing, you’ll be every bit as satisfied.
No one does it like than Ina Garten. Her effortless cooking style is so enjoyable to watch and her recipes are always delicious and full of flavour. Her Caesar salad is no exception.
She’s one of my favourite chefs to watch on tv. In my 20s, I was completely clueless in the kitchen and I literally learned to cook by watching her tv show. Ina, if I’m ever lucky enough for you to read this post, a big “thank you!” to you.
In this Caesar salad recipe, I boosted the nutrition by swapping out romaine lettuce for the super green – kale. Also, I swapped out pancetta for some lean grilled chicken breasts. If you would like to make it vegetarian, boiled eggs or tofu would go very nicely in this recipe too.
There’s many reasons why they call kale a superfood:
Loaded with vitamins such as A, C, K, B
Packed with minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and zinc
Very high in powerful antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol
With the grilled chicken, this Caesar salad makes for a satisfying lunch that will keep you fueled for the afternoon.
Give this healthy twist on Ina Garten’s Caesar salad a try!
Ina Garten’s Caesar Salad
Ina Garten’s Caesar salad with pancetta is a classic. In this recipe, I’ve “hacked it” to be a bit healthier by replacing the romaine lettuce with kale and replacing the pancetta with grilled chicken. With Ina’s rich and creamy dressing, you’ll be every bit as satisfied.
1extra-large egg yolk at room temperatureIf you're nervous about raw egg yolks, substitute 2 tablespoons of real mayonnaise.
2teaspoonsDijon mustard
2large cloves garlicchopped
8 to 10anchovy filletsoptional
1/2cupfreshly squeezed lemon juice3 lemons
2teaspoonskosher salt
1/2teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1 1/2cupsgood mild olive oil
1/2cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Wash kale leaves and spin-dry in a salad spinner. Remove the stems and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
2 large bunches kale
Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place them in the bowl with the kale.
2 pints cherry tomatoes
Heat a grill to medium high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken breast and grill each side for 6 minutes or until cooked. Shred the chicken.
4 Chicken breasts, Salt, Freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing, place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube (as though you were making mayonnaise), until thick. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.
1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 large cloves garlic, 8 to 10 anchovy fillets, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 1/2 cups good mild olive oil
Toss the kale with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan and toss. Divide the kale among 6 or 8 plates and sprinkle with the grilled chicken and cherry tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
All these ingredients can be made in advance. Be sure they’re room temperature when you assemble the salad.
If you're nervous about raw egg yolks, substitute 2 tablespoons of real mayonnaise.
