Chicken Caesar Salad brings it all together with crisp romaine, tender grilled chicken, lightly seasoned homemade croutons, shaved Parmesan, and tangy Caesar Dressing. Better than any restaurant Caesar Salad, this recipe will quickly become one of your favorites.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Bread: You can use any day-old baguette, French bread, Italian bread, or Ciabatta bread.
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to even thickness
- Italian dressing: I used Zia’s salad dressing, but you can use your favorite brand.
- Mayonnaise: I love Duke’s mayo, but you can use your favorite brand.
- Garlic: There is a little more than a handful of ingredients, so everyone stands out. Use freshly minced garlic.
- Lemon juice: For the ultimate flavor, use fresh lemon juice.
- Minced capers: They are a great alternative for those who dislike anchovies. You can substitute a teaspoon of anchovy paste.
- Parmesan cheese: For the ultimate flavor, use freshly grated.
How To Make Chicken Caesar Salad
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes.
- Season and toast the croutons.
- Make the Caesar salad Dressing.
- Grill the chicken over medium heat and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces
- Combine the romaine, chicken, and croutons in a large salad bowl.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese.
Tips For Success
- Do not overcrowd the baking sheet with the croutons. The heat needs to circulate the bread to dry it out and make it crunchy.
- Do not overcook the chicken. Chicken breasts are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. An instant-read meat thermometer is relatively inexpensive and a godsend for the grill.
- Tent the grilled chicken loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest. This helps redistribute the juices.
Perfect Pairings
- Pasta: baked ziti, Parmesan pasta, or garlic pasta
- Soup: minestrone, creamy tomato basil soup, or sausage tortellini soup
- Vegetables: roasted cauliflower, roasted vegetable salad, or sauteed asparagus.
More Salads
Chicken Caesar Salad
Chicken Caesar Salad brings it all together with crisp romaine, grilled chicken, seasoned homemade croutons, shaved Parmesan and tangy Caesar Dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner, or served as a side salad!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 712kcal
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts 16-18 ounces
- 1 cup Italian dressing
Homemade Croutons
- 4 cups day-old bread cut into bite-sized cubes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice from one lemon about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced capers
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 large head Romaine lettuce, chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Using a large Ziploc bag, combine the chicken breasts and Italian dressing. Marinate for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. If marinating for more than 1 hour, refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the bread cubes to a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Spread the croutons in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Flip the croutons halfway through the baking process.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced capers, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Store the dressing in a mason jar or airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Preheat the grill to 425-450 degrees. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and place on the grill. Grill for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss the romaine lettuce, dressing, croutons, and chicken. For added flavor, top with fresh shaved Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However this salad is best served promptly.
Nutrition
Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1449mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 371mg | Iron: 7mg
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Chichi
I love croutons! That’s one of the reasons I enjoy Caesar salads so much. The croutons make it fun
Chichi
I love croutons! That’s one of the reasons I really love Caesar salads! So so good!
Pam
Those croutons look to-die-for! Curious… could you use anchovy paste in the dressing recipe?
Alisa Infanti
A classic and one of my favourite lunch salads. This dressing was super as well!
Beth Sachs
My favourite salad! I olways order this but really should make it at home more often. Will give this recipe a go soon!
Michelle
Great salad! I love caesar salad but have never made my own caesar dressing, shall be doing so from now on though! Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Michelle! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Colleen
We love chicken Caesar salad at our house, too. Such a great lunch or dinner! Thanks for posting!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Colleen! I hope you enjoy it!
Alexandra
I do love a salad with my meal – and caesar is one of my favourites! I love the addition of chicken here, to really make it a meal in its own right 🙂 Delicious!
Natalie
I love chicken Caesar’s salad! Looks so delicious and perfect for dinner!
Beth
I love Salad Season and Cesar Salad is a huge fav in my family! I also love making my own croutons but have never made my own dressing! This recipe has just made my day – can’t wait to try!