Mexican Caesar Salad

Mexican Caesar Salad from Jamie Oliver’s ‘Save with Jamie’ book is a sumptuous treat for lunch or a light evening meal which has got a little bit of everything in it. Containing 17 ingredients and at over £2 a head I’m not sure how this can be classed as a budget meal though, Jamie.

But aside from the cost, this salad tastes great and will satisfy your hunger cravings that you’ll work up whilst prepping it! If you want a slightly cheaper and lighter version, check out chicken caesar salad from the Hairy Dieters. Or, if neither of these appeal, then have a gander at cobb salad from Justine Pattison which has become a favourite of mine.

Recipe: Mexican Caesar Salad

Calories: 338 per portion

Serves: 4

Book: Jamie Oliver – Save with Jamie

Prep time: Approx 30 minutes

Cooking time: Approx 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 x 200g skinless chicken breasts
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 pinches of dried oregano
• Olive oil
• 1 romaine lettuce
• 1 gem lettuce
• 8 ripe cherry tomatoes
• ¼ of a cucumber
• 1 ripe avocado
• 40g Parmesan cheese
• ½ clove of garlic
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 4 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
• 1 lemon
• Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 small load of brown bread, to serve

Cost per portion: Approx £2.09

Method:

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with a pinch each of salt, pepper, cayenne and oregano, and a little olive oil. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to ½  inch (1.5 cm) thick with a rolling pin. Put a grill pan on a high heat to get nice and hot.

Meanwhile, trim then slice the bases of the lettuces, click the leaves apart, and place in a big bowl. Halve or quarter the tomatoes and erratically slice the cucumber, and add both to the bowl.

Squeeze the avocado flesh into a blender, finely grate in half the Parmesan and add the peeled garlic, anchovies, yoghurt, the juice from the lemon, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and the extra virgin olive oil. Whiz until smooth, then season to perfection – you want it slightly too acidic, so add extra lemon juice, if needed.

Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, and the bacon for a couple of minutes on each side, or until it’s all nicely charred, then remove. Add half the dressing to the bowl of salad and toss well to coat, then tip on to a nice serving platter.

Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the salad with the bacon, then drizzle over the remaining dressing. Grate over the remaining Parmesan, sprinkle with the rest of the oregano from a height, then serve with a loaf of warm crusty bread.