Chicken Cesar Salad

My heart is broken. Last night, my oldest told my mom that me working 2nd shift makes it feel like her parents are divorced. Ouch. It's not like I can go to my boss and say, "Hey, I don't think this is going to work for me. I need to go back to first shift." It doesn't work like that, unfortunately. I know that it's going to take some adjusting and some getting used to for all of us. I hope that Kennedy starts enjoying her time with her dad so it's not so hard on her.

Anyway, here's what I made for my family yesterday before I went to work:

Chicken Ceasar Salad ( Cook Yourself Thin )

Serves 2
Calories per serving: 445

For the salad
8 ounces chicken breast, skinless
Olive oil to brush onto the chicken and on the toast
4 thin (melba thin) slices baguette on the diagonal
1/2 medium garlic clove
2 heads baby romaine lettuce
1 large, free-range egg
One handful of arugula and mustard cress
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

For the dressing
2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon malt vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush the chicken with a little olive oil.
3. On a hot grill pan, sear the chicken breast for 4 to 5 minutes before flipping over and doing the same on the other side.
4. While the chicken is searing, prepare the baguette toasts. Slice the baguette on the diagonal and place on a baking sheet. Brush on a little olive oil. Toast the bread for about 10 minutes, until crisp. Rub with the garlic clove.
5. Once you have strong grill marks over the chicken breast on both sides, cover your pan with foil and place into the hot oven on the higher shelf for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, wash the lettuce and spin dry.
7. Carefully drop the egg in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes exactly. Empty the boiling water out of the pan and replace it with cold water. Let the egg stand in the cold water while you finish the recipe.
8. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk. Taste and season before setting aside.
9. Put the washed and dried salad leaves into a big bowl with the dressing. Toss for a couple of minutes to make sure that all the leaves are coated. Add the shaved/grated Parmesan and arugula. Toss once again.
10. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it cool down enough to handle before slicing on the diagonal.
11. Plate up the salad, making sure that the chicken is evenly distributed.
12. Tuck the crispy baguette toasts on the side of the salad and add half the soft-boiled egg. Finally, grind over some black pepper, scatter the sunflower seeds, and serve.

Of course I tripled the recipe so there was enough for everyone and leftovers. I never use the sunflower seeds, though. Both of my kids love this meal, surprisingly. I cut up the romaine and put it back in the bag it came in, mixed the dressing in a big salad bowl, covered it and put it in the fridge. Then I seasoned the chicken with Weber Grill Kickin Chicken and the grilled it. Those are the only changed I really made. If you like Ceasar salad, you'll love this!

Kristen