Chicken Caesar Salad with Creamy Yoghurt Dressing

Caesar salad has a more interesting history than most people give it credit for. The story most often told says it was invented in the 1920s by Caesar Cardini, who ran a restaurant across the border in Tijuana, and that it was thrown together from whatever was in the kitchen on a busy holiday weekend. Whether or not that tale is exactly right, the dish has always been a little improvised, and this version keeps that spirit. Chicken thigh fillets go in the pan with just a teaspoon of oil, and they stay juicy because thigh meat has more fat and forgives a few extra minutes better than breast does.

A small fact worth knowing about Parmesan: real aged Parmesan is a hard cheese with very little moisture, which is why it grates into a fine dust that clings to warm chicken and melts into the dressing so easily. A tablespoon goes a long way, so don't feel you need to pile it on. The dressing here leans on Greek yoghurt rather than a heap of oil, so it stays creamy and tangy while still tasting like the Caesar you remember. Whisk it in a small bowl and taste as you go. Lemon is the lever that changes everything, and half a lemon is a fair start. If you're after a lighter lunch with a different crunch, try Dilly Chicken Salad Toasts for another way to use cooked chicken.

Cos lettuce is the right base for this. Its leaves are sturdy and upright, so they hold up to dressing without wilting into a soggy heap. Tear the leaves or chop them into bite-sized pieces, and add the baby spinach for a softer note. The avocado is there for richness, and it's best sliced just before serving so it stays bright green.

If you have leftover chicken or dressing, both keep well. Store the dressing in a jar in the fridge for a couple of days and give it a good shake before using it again. Cooked chicken keeps for a day or two in a sealed container, and it makes a fine lunch the next day, sliced over greens you've kept separate from the dressing. Leftover croutons can be kept in an airtight tin and crisped up again in a dry pan for a minute or two.

For something on the side, this salad is happy next to a simple plate of something light. A slice of toast with a smear of cottage cheese and a few pear slices, as in the Spiced Pear Toast with Cottage Cheese, makes a bright, mild companion. If you want something with a bit more crunch and a green, garlicky feel, Garlic Parmesan Baked Artichoke Halves pair nicely with the Parmesan and lemon in the dressing and turn lunch into a relaxed spread for two.