VEGAN JERK CAESAR SALAD
Our Vegan Jerk Caesar Salad is bound to be your new favorite salad recipe! Chicken Caesar salad is a classic, so we thought why not do a Caribbean-inspired chicken Caesar using vegan jerk-slathered chicken tenders? We added collard greens to the traditional salad base of romaine, which is a nod to Jamaican Callaloo. A citrusy mango salsa cuts through the heat and saltiness from the Caesar dressing and jerk, while plantain chips add sweet crunch.
Ingredients
For the vegan Caesar dressing:
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or substitute soy sauce or tamari
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers finely minced
- 1 tablespoon caper brining liquid
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
For the vegan chicken tenders:
- 1 pound of frozen vegan chicken tenders We used the Beyond Meat brand
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon jerk seasoning We used the Grace's brand but also love Walkerswood
For the salad:
- 16 ounces romaine lettuce about 3 small heads, sliced
- 4 ounces collard greens thoroughly washed, stems removed, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup vegan Parmesan cheese We used the Follow Your Heart brand
- Plantain chips
For the mango salsa:
- 1 mango diced finely
- ¼ cup red onion diced finely
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 4 mini bell peppers or ½ a full-size red bell pepper diced finely
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Caesar dressing: Combine the minced garlic, dijon mustard, vegan Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Begin whisking these ingredients and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while continuing to whisk. Then season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Cook the vegan chicken tenders: Mix together 2 tablespoon jerk seasoning with 2 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Brush the frozen vegan chicken tenders on both sides with the jerk mixture. Air fry them according to package instructions, plus an 8 additional minutes, flipping them at the halfway point. We used the Beyond Meat brand, which called for air frying at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. So we cooked our chicken tenders for 14 total minutes, flipping the tenders at the 7-minute mark.
- Make the mango salsa: Combine the diced mango, diced red onion, chopped cilantro and diced bell pepper in a bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the mixture and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Assemble the salad: In a large salad bowl, toss together the sliced romaine and collard greens. Pour over the Caesar dressing, add the vegan Parmesan and toss to coat. Top with jerk chicken tenders, mango salsa and plantain chips. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can also bake your vegan chicken tenders according to package instructions, plus an additional 8-12 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!