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Seared romaine and chicken Caesar salad

Ingredients

Chicken marinade:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

A few pinches black pepper

1 pound chicken tenders

Salad:

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 romaine hearts, sliced in half lengthwise

A few generous pinches kosher salt and ground black pepper

4 small tomatoes, each cut into 4 wedges

1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber (about 1/2 English cucumber)

1 tablespoon Caesar salad dressing

4 lemon wedges, optional

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

• For marinade, place olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in small bowl and stir to combine. Place chicken in large, resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over chicken. Remove air from bag and seal. Place in refrigerator and allow chicken to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or as long as overnight.
• To sear chicken, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until cooked through and golden on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Adjust cook time for thicker pieces.) Remove to a plate and cover lightly with aluminum foil.
• Brush remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over both sides of each romaine heart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• In the same large nonstick skillet, cook two romaine halves over medium heat until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large serving platter. Repeat with remaining romaine. Arrange chicken, tomatoes and cucumber around charred romaine. Drizzle dressing over lettuce and serve with lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

If you're looking for other protein options, try salmon or chickpeas. Other vegetable options include avocado, bell peppers and red onion.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1/4 of recipe. Amount per serving: 240 calories, 13g total fat (1.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat), 70mg cholesterol, 4g carbohydrates, 27g protein, 1g dietary fiber, 390mg sodium.

American Institute for Cancer Research