Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Faced with the question of what to drink with a salad dressed in vinaigrette, wine connoisseurs may suggest plain water. Or replacing the vinegar in the dressing with verjus. If the salad comes after the main course, my answer is to relax and keep drinking whatever is in your glass. By that time in a dinner, your palate has already confronted a bevy of tastes. But for a first-course or main-course salad, like this variation on a Caesar salad with chicken, consider user-friendly falanghinas. Citric notes touched with tropical fruit, an occasional whiff of smoke and good acidity all complement what is happening on the plate without surrendering to the dressing. This wine is worth making your all-purpose go-to white to enjoy for months to come.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 salt-cured anchovies, rinsed and dried
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• 2 hard-cooked eggs
• ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 heads romaine lettuce
• 4 slices whole-grain bread, without crusts

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    664 calories; 45 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 182 milligrams cholesterol; 535 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 servings

Preparation

1. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add anchovies and cook on low, stirring, until they fall apart and meld with the oil. Place in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and remaining olive oil.
2. Place chicken in a bowl, add 1/4 cup of the olive oil dressing, turn to coat chicken breasts, cover and set aside to marinate 2 hours, longer if refrigerated.
3. Separate egg whites and yolks. Place yolks in a small dish, add a little of the dressing, blend until smooth and mix in with the rest of the dressing. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Dice whites and keep them separate.
4. Light a grill. Remove any tired outer leaves from the romaine, then quarter each head vertically. Place on a large platter and drizzle cut sides with a little of the dressing. Grill romaine close to the heat source, turning clusters of leaves and any individual leaves so they wilt a little and become lightly charred. Remove. Place bread on grill and sear to toast. Remove. Place chicken on grill and cook, turning a few times and basting with the marinade until cooked through, about 15 minutes. It’s best to grill chicken away from the source of heat so it does not char.
5. Coarsely shred romaine onto a large rimmed platter. Dice toasted bread and add it, along with the egg whites. Drizzle with about half the dressing. Slice the chicken about 1/2-inch thick, arrange it over the romaine and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve warm.