Grilled Caesar Salad

I like meat and potatoes as much as anyone, but sometimes a salad is just right for dinner.  Croutons are delish, but with all the craze of Paleo and gluten free diets, I came up with these crunchy garbanzo beans instead.  They have enough crunch to be super satisfying and a bit addictive.

Ingredients
2 whole hearts of romaine lettuce
two large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of parmesan cheese
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
2 cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
your favorite caesar dressing
olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:
Marinade your chicken breasts in about 1/2 a cup of your favorite Italian or Caesar salad dressing for at least an hour.  Slice your romaine hearts in half and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Heat a grill pan on high and grill sliced side down for a couple of minutes, until lettuce begins to wilt and gets a few char marks. Remove and set aside.

Grill chicken on your pre-heated grill pan until cooked through completely.  I generally get my grill marks on both sides, then transfer to a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cooked all the way through.  You can also buy grilled chicken if you want to skip this step.

On a large baking sheet, spread out your two cans of garbanzo beans into one even layer.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place in oven and bake until crunchy, about 10-15 minutes.  Shake the baking sheet every few minutes so they don't burn.

Assemble your salad by slicing the chicken and laying it on top of the lettuce.  Then sprinkle with parmesan, about 1/4 cup for each lettuce half, top with tomatoes & garbanzo beans and a drizzle of your favorite salad dressing.

Voila, the perfect salad for dinner! {or lunch, or snack time...}