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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and brush with bourbon maple syrup.
- Make the dressing: stir together the Caesar salad dressing and bourbon maple syrup, set aside.
- Assemble: toss your lettuce with your sauce, decorate with quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini, grated parmesan, and black pepper. Top with fried chicken. Enjoy!