The perfect chicken caesar salad

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Put the chicken in a large roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the rapeseed oil. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper. If you have herbs in the garden, put a handful inside the chicken to boost the flavour. Roast for about 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
2. In a separate roasting tray, toss the bread with another 2 tbsp of the rapeseed oil and season well. Toast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. While the chicken and croutons are cooking, prepare the rest of the salad. In a food processor, whizz together the ingredients for the dressing (see tip if you’re not using shop-bought mayo). Taste and adjust the seasoning. Loosen with a little water if too thick – you should be left with a slightly thick, creamy dressing with a good citrussy kick from the lemon juice.
4. Heat the remaining rapeseed oil in a medium non-stick frying pan, then fry the bacon over a medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest and cool slightly, then tear the meat from the bones into rough shreds. You will only need about half of it, so save the rest in the fridge for the next day.
5. To assemble the salad, toss the pieces of lettuce in a large salad bowl with as much dressing as you like, the shredded chicken, the bacon and croutons. Serve with a generous grating of parmesan and a final grinding of black pepper. It’s my absolute favourite salad, with guaranteed savoury deliciousness in every bite!