Trim and halve the little gem lettuce lengthwise, rinse and spin dry. Arrange on a large serving platter or divide between plates. Slice the roasted chicken breasts thinly on a bias and arrange slices over the lettuce.

Prepare avocado and tomatoes

Pit and slice the avocado into thin wedges. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Tuck avocado slices and tomatoes among the lettuce and chicken.

Add parmesan shards and dusting

Make parmesan shards (see below) and scatter several over the salad. Lightly dust the salad with the finely grated parmesan (about 2 tablespoons) and finish with a crack of black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon from the wedges.

Garlic Butter Croutons

Toast the bread

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil, melted butter and crushed garlic and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 10–12 minutes, stirring once, until crisp and golden. Allow to cool slightly.

When cool, scatter croutons over the assembled salad just before serving so they remain crisp.

Caesar Dressing

Make the dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, chopped anchovy fillets (or anchovy paste), minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified. Stir in the grated Parmesan, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust acidity with more lemon if desired.

If you prefer a thinner dressing, whisk in up to 1–2 tablespoons of cold water until you reach desired consistency.

Transfer dressing to a serving bowl or drizzle directly over salad. Use about 3–4 tablespoons per serving, or toss the whole salad lightly to coat.

Parmesan Shards & Finishing

Make parmesan shards

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (if not already). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place tablespoon-sized mounds of grated parmesan spaced 2 inches apart. Flatten each mound slightly. Bake 3–5 minutes until edges turn golden and cheese melts into thin discs. Remove, let cool 1–2 minutes, then lift with a spatula and transfer to a towel or wire rack — the discs will crisp into shards as they cool.

Assemble and finish

Drizzle a little olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) over the salad, add croutons, nestle parmesan shards among the leaves, sprinkle smoked paprika lightly if using, and scatter chopped parsley. Dust with extra grated parmesan (already listed) and another crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.