Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups

Method

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1. Pat the chicken dry, rub with the oil, salt and pepper, and sear in a hot pan 5 minutes on the first side and 4 on the second, until it reads 68C.

   Mark done

2. Rest it 5 minutes on a board while you make the dressing. It carries on to 74C as it sits.

   Mark done

3. Mash the anchovies and garlic to a paste with the flat of a knife.

   Mark done

4. Whisk the paste with the egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl.

   Mark done

5. Add the olive oil a few drops at a time to begin with, whisking constantly, then in a thin steady thread once it starts to thicken.

   Mark done

6. Stir in the grated Parmesan and pepper. It should coat a spoon; loosen with a teaspoon of water if it is stiffer than that.

   Mark done

7. Slice the chicken across the grain, toss it through half the dressing, and pile it into the cos leaves with the rest spooned over and the Parmesan shavings on top.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Add the oil slowly at the start. Almost every split Caesar dressing splits in the first tablespoon.
• Use a raw yolk you are happy to eat raw, or shop-bought mayonnaise as the base if you would rather not.
• The dressing is better made an hour ahead and left in the fridge — the garlic and anchovy settle down.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold Chablis
• A soft-boiled egg on the side
• Sourdough, for anyone not counting carbohydrate

Storage & Reheating

Dressing refrigerates 2 days in a sealed jar; chicken 3 days. Do not dress the leaves ahead — they collapse within twenty minutes.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.