British food blogger Nicky Corbishley says her kitchen was her sanctuary while she worked in corporate I.T. for 14 years. She used that kitchen time to unwind and experiment, so when she left the corporate world, it seemed natural to devote full time to her blog, Kitchen Sanctuary.
Her new cookbook, "Seriously Good Salads," offers 75 of her favorite recipes, most of which can be served as a main course.
She adds pasta and extra veggies to her version of a Caesar salad to make it a year-round dinner entree, with the suggestion that you can substitute whatever vegetables are in season.
Find more of Corbishley's recipes on her blog, www.kitchensanctuary.com.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad With Roasted Vegetables
Serves 4
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1-inch cubes
1 ciabatta bread, chopped into 1-inch cubes
2 heads romaine lettuce, leaves separated and washed
2 cups cooked and cooled spiral pasta
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
CAESAR DRESSING:
2 anchovies, mashed with a fork
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the red onion wedges and chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and half of the salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then bake for 10 minutes.
Add the zucchini cubes to the pan and turn them over to coat with the oil. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the cubed ciabatta on a separate baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper, and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the ciabatta has browned and the chicken on the other pan is cooked through. Remove from the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
Arrange the lettuce on a large serving plate.
Slice the chicken into bite-size chunks and place on top of the lettuce along with the cooked pasta, roasted vegetables and ciabatta croutons.
Drizzle with a little of the dressing and top with the shredded Parmesan.
Serve with extra dressing.
Reprinted with permission from "Seriously Good Salads" by Nicky Corbishley; Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.