Homemade green goddess ranch salad with blackened chicken and roasted sweet potatoes

Teardown of the bought summer barbecue salad for comparison: 40 g green goddess ranch, 78 g cooked chicken, 100 g watermelon, 40 g cabbage, 60 g carrots and corn, 154 g greens.

For the dressing, set a blender on a scale and add 200 g plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 200 g mayonnaise and an eighth of a red onion.

Add a small handful each of cilantro and parsley, a couple of basil leaves and about three times that amount of dill.

Add 7 g white vinegar, the juice of a quarter lemon, salt and black pepper to taste and a tiny drop of hot sauce.

Blend, then thin with water to the consistency you want and blend again.

Pound two chicken breasts thin or slice them in half, lay them on a tray and sprinkle salt over both sides, keeping the salt separate from the seasoning so the amount is visible.

Mix two parts hot paprika with one part each garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme, and sprinkle it liberally over both sides for a complete coat.

Cook in oil or butter in a pan over medium heat, taking a deep colour on one side before flipping. If the seasoning starts smoking before the interior is cooked, finish it in the oven.

Rest on the cutting board and slice.

Preheat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into thick planks, then thick sticks, then cubes.

Toss the cubes on a baking sheet with neutral oil and a healthy sprinkle of salt and roast 20 to 30 minutes until crisp, moving them around halfway.

Cut the vegetables small so a forkful carries a piece of everything, and pre-dress the lettuce with a little dressing before assembling.

Assemble in a wide shallow bowl: dressed lettuce, sliced blackened chicken in the centre, chopped carrots on one side, roasted sweet potatoes on the other, drained and salted chickpeas, pickled onions, shaved almonds, green goddess ranch, goat cheese and more pickled onions for colour.