Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
SHARE THIS RECIPE!
There are a few things in life that are worth the extra time and effort to make from scratch, and a grilled chicken Caesar salad is one of them!
Caesar salad tastes SO much better when you make it from scratch, from the flavorful grilled chicken and homemade Caesar salad dressing to the crunchy croutons and fresh Parmesan cheese. It just cannot compare!
For more refreshing salad recipes, try my Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad or Avocado Shrimp Salad.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this recipe post to you, so you can come back to it later! Only check the box below if you would like to join my email newsletter.
Step#1: Making the Chicken Marinade
- My classic chicken marinade for Caesar salad includes lemon, garlic, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and Italian herbs.
- For the most flavorful chicken, I highly recommend marinating your chicken for at least 30 minutes. This marinade makes the chicken so tender and juicy!
- I like to slice the chicken into diagonal strips because I think it looks prettier on the plate than when cut into cubes. And the slicing really shows off its juiciness!
Step#2: Grill the Chicken
- The secret to making this “off-season” is having a great indoor grill pan, and I cannot say enough good things about them.
- They are totally worth the investment and cheaper than a real BBQ!
- But sometimes a grill pan makes lovely grill marks but doesn’t totally cook the chicken through, because you can’t close the top as you do on a real grill to finish the cooking.
- So once the chicken is beautifully grilled on both sides, I pop it in the oven for 10-15 minutes while I’m preparing the dressing to ensure it’s cooked through.
Step#3: Make the Homemade Dressing
- A homemade Caesar salad dressing will taste 100x better than anything you will buy in the store, no matter how fancy the bottle may be! (sigh…yes, I’m a sucker for nice packaging too, but don’t be fooled!) This will taste so much better!
- The classic combination includes mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, anchovies or anchovy paste, a little olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. It’s as easy as it gets!
- Another option is to choose a variation of this dressing and serve the salad with my Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing instead, which has a nice kick!
Anchovies vs. Anchovy Paste?
- Even if you’re cringing, don’t skip the anchovy paste!
- While traditional Caesar salad dressing is made with real anchovies, I like the cheat of the paste. Especially if you are skittish about using anchovies, the paste is a nice foil for what lies behind!
- It’s also just as flavorful. It won’t taste “fishy” but rather a bit salty, and it will give your dressing a nice depth of flavor.
- Without the anchovy paste, your dressing will lack depth of flavor, and you will feel like something is missing! And it will be the anchovies!
Step#4: Make the Croutons
- Another key component of a homemade Caesar salad is the croutons! These croutons steal the show with their garlicky flavor that is so much better than store-bought.
- I think the best bread to use is a hearty country loaf or ciabatta bread.
- The nooks and crannies in these breads soak up the salad dressing perfectly, as it settles into the crevices of the croutons.
- These breads are also hearty enough not to get soggy under the weight of the dressing.
- You can also freeze the croutons after they cool and reheat them in the oven to crisp them back up when you’re ready to serve.
Step#5: Assemble + Serve
- To give your salad a sophisticated presentation, use whole romaine lettuce leaves and do not chop them.
- It makes for a prettier presentation and allows your guests the ability to cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces as they enjoy it.
- Or you can use Baby Romaine lettuce for smaller, more manageable leaves.
- Then slice the chicken breasts slightly diagonally for a prettier slice, and fan the chicken on top.
- Then add the croutons, toasted pine nuts, some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper!
- Serve with my scrumptious Garlic Knots or Parmesan Tuiles on the side.
Enjoyed this recipe?
“This is a wonderful dressing – so easy! My husband loves it and thinks the croutons are over the top!”
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
Yield:
serves 4
Prep Time:
1 hour
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 40 minutes
Delicious Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad recipe. SO much better made at home than ordered in a restaurant! This will be your new favorite!
Ingredients
SALAD:
- 1 head romaine lettuce or 3 heads of baby romaine
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted pine nuts
CHICKEN MARINADE
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) of olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Italian Herbs
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Dijon mustard
CROUTONS:
- 3 cups (180 g) rustic country bread, cubed into ½ inch (13mm) cubes
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt and cracked pepper to taste
DRESSING:
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) prepared mayonnaise
- 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) anchovy paste
- 3-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1/2 cup (45 ml) of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Begin by mixing the marinade for the chicken. Combine the olive oil, garlic, herbs de Provence, lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and whisk until combined. Coat the chicken on all sides, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
- Meanwhile, prepare your croutons. Combine the cubed bread, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and toss until the bread is well coated. Turn out onto a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes, or until the croutons turn golden brown. Allow to cool and set aside.
- To prepare the dressing, combine mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and cheese. Set aside.
- Grill chicken for 7-8 mins each side, until nice grill marks form, then pop it in a 375F (190C) oven to cook it through. This will keep the chicken tender and juicy and prevent it from drying out. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 mins on a cutting board before slicing to retain its juiciness.
- Meanwhile, place the pine nuts in a non-stick pan and, over medium-high heat, toast them, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden brown. They will have even more flavor this way.
- Portion out 3-5 leaves per plate. Then slice the chicken diagonally, fan it out on top of the lettuce, garnish with the roasted pine nuts and croutons, and drizzle the dressing over the top. Add additional grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked pepper on top to taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 629Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 505mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 5gSugar: 26gProtein: 25g
Hi, Beth. I just made your Cesar Salad and it was delicious. The roasted pine nuts and the croutons made it very special. I did use Ciabatta bread and it was crisp on the outside and had a wonderful flavor on the inside. Thank you for the great recipe.