Recipe & Photos by: Steven Martinez

Recipe Developer, and dad, Steven Martinez’s (@CookingWithYourDad) go-to for an indulgent “good-for-ya” meal his whole fam loves: fresh romaine with a creamy bourbon-maple caesar dressing, topped with fried jerk bourbon-maple chicken---seasoned with our smoky n spicy Jerk Seasoning and finished with a bourbon-maple syrup. The fried chicken gets a buttermilk soak overnight but it’s 100% worth the extra prep time. You can check out his Applewood Smoked Piri Piri Chicken Drummers and his Blackened White Cheeseburger while you wait. :)

Jerked & Fried Bourbon-Maple Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients

for the fried chicken:
10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
2-3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup Just Jan's Tangerine Sriracha 
4 tbsp Spicewalla Jerk Seasoning
Spicewalla Black Pepper, Table Grind
2 Spicewalla Bay Leaves
Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 Tbs Bourbon maple syrup
3-4 cups canola oil

for the bourbon maple caesar dressing:
3/4 cup caesar salad dressing
1/4 cup Bourbon maple syrup (Steven recommends Bushwick Kitchen)

for assembly:

2 romaine hearts, roughly chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
sliced pepperoncini
grated parmesan

preparation

1. Place the chicken tenders in a plastic container or bowl and pour the buttermilk in to cover them along with tangerine sriracha, 2 Tbs Jerk Seasoning, a big pinch of black pepper, and 2 broken bay leaves. Marinate overnight.
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, rice flour, remaining 2 Tbs Jerk Seasoning, a pinch of salt and bourbon maple syrup.
3. Add the chicken tenders to the bowl and toss to coat, pressing the seasoned flour mix into every bit of the chicken. Pro tip: let the coated chicken sit in the breading for 2 hours. 
4. When ready, fill a cast iron skillet halfway with canola oil, bring it to 340F, and fry your chicken strips 4 at a time for 6 mins, flipping halfway through.
5. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and brush with bourbon maple syrup.
6. Make the dressing: stir together the Caesar salad dressing and bourbon maple syrup, set aside.
7. Assemble: toss your lettuce with your sauce, decorate with quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini, grated parmesan, and black pepper. Top with fried chicken. Enjoy!