Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing & Crispy Chicken

"And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again."  As a child, I always thought that phrase from the popular Christmas song was rude and couldn't understand it.  What was so wrong with being out of school for winter break?  Now that I am a parent of a child in school, I completely understand.  Don't get me wrong -- I absolutely adore having my daughter home with me all day.  However, I definitely do not adore how messy the house gets when she's home all day!  Also, I find myself with less time for housework, errands, cooking, etc., especially when I'm constantly being begged to play with her and the millions of Christmas gifts she received.  Days like these call for quick meals.

This salad is made in under 30 minutes and is super tasty.  Oh, and the dressing is pretty addicting if I do say so myself!

Ingredients:
Serves 3

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, cut bite size
• 1 lb chicken, cut bite size
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 c breadcrumb 
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, or as needed for frying 
• Salt, to taste
• Croutons, for topping
• Shredded Parmesan cheese, for topping
• Freshly ground black pepper, for topping

Caesar dressing

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced 
• 1 c shredded Parmesan cheese 
• 1/2 c vegetable oil 
• 1/4 c plus 2 tbsp mayonnaise 
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, minced 
• 2 tbsp milk 
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar 
• 1 tsp white sugar 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Make the Caesar dressing.  In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, Parmesan, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, parsley, milk, Dijon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, soy sauce, red wine vinegar and sugar.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste (I omit).  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  

Fry the chicken.  Dip the chicken in egg and then coat in breadcrumb.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove and drain on paper towels. 

Arrange the salad.  Place the romaine lettuce on a serving platter or individual plates.  Top with the crispy chicken.  Add the croutons and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  Pour the dressing over all.  Season with ground black pepper, if desired. 

Enjoy!