Instructions

1. Thaw your truLOCAL chicken breasts in the refrigerator overnight or defrost in their packaging in cold water.
2. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a shallow glass dish. Arrange chicken in a single layer and allow to marinade for a total of 30 minutes (15 minutes in the refrigerator and 15 minutes at room temperature – see below. (NOTE: Do NOT over-marinate your chicken or the proteins will begin to break down due to the acidity of the marinade.)
3. While your chicken is marinating, prepare the dressing.
4. Add all dressing ingredients to a deep bowl or large liquid measuring cup and blend well using a stick/immersion blender. If your dressing is too thick, blend in ½ tsp of water (or additional lemon juice – test for flavor before you decide) at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
5. Refrigerate and allow the flavors to meld. (NOTE: you can make your dressing ahead and store in the refrigerator as the lemon juice will keep the avocado from browning.)
6. Trim and discard the root end of the romaine lettuce, removing only as much as necessary so the head remains intact.  Cut the romaine in half lengthwise and rinse under cold running water (do not soak). Wrap the romaine in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water.
7. Bring chicken to room temperature approximately 15 minutes before grilling, this will help ensure your meat cooks more evenly.
8. Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat.
9. Remove chicken breasts from marinade and place on pre-heated grill. Season with salt and pepper. Place halved or quartered lemons cut side down on grill.
10. Allow chicken breasts to cook over high heat until they release easily from grill, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over, season again with salt and pepper and allow to cook on second side until chicken releases easily from grill.  Reduce flame or move chicken
    to cooler spots on your grill to avoid burning or flareups.  
11. Continue grilling lemon cut side down as chicken cooks. Cook lemon until slightly softened and grill marks have formed, about 5 minutes. Remove lemons from the grill and let stand.
12. Continuing grilling chicken, turning and moving until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165F has been reached. (NOTE: If your chicken breasts are very thick and they begin to char or become over cooked on the outside, it may be necessary to cut them in half and place the uncooked,  center cut on the grill or to flatten slightly before grilling. We found our truLOCAL boneless skinless chicken breasts to be the perfect size for grilling – no cutting or pre-flattening was required.)
13. Remove chicken from grill and allow to rest, tented with foil, for
    a few minutes prior to slicing. This allows the juices to settle back into the chicken.
14. While the chicken is resting, place the washed and dried romaine hearts cut side down on the grill. Leaving lid open, cook until grill marks form, about 3 minutes. Gently turn the lettuce using tongs, and grill for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from grill. (NOTE: This method infuses a smoky flavor, but take care not to over-cook the lettuce, it should be lightly charred but NOT cooked through, retaining its fresh salad crunch.)
15. Plate your grilled romaine heart and top with sliced grilled chicken breast, a drizzle of AIP Avocado Caesar Dressing and the grilled lemon on the side. Add a squeeze of grilled lemon to your salad and enjoy!