What You Will Need
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts toss them on the grill and they are ready in minutes! You could use grilled chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Batch of the Best Chicken Marinade you probably already have the ingredients on hand and the flavor combination will really take your chicken to the next level.
- Romaine lettuce the base of the salad. You could use iceberg or another lettuce but romaine is definitely our favorite.
- Croutons choose your favorite and generously toss them on top. Love that crunch! You could also serve with a baguette or grilled bread!
- Shredded parmesan cheese feel free to use dairy-free if you want but definitely dont skip it.
- Caesar dressing we love this Homemade Caesar Dressing or this Dairy-Free Caesar Dressing!
How To Make Chicken Caesar Salad
Making a Chicken Caesar Salad is easy, just make a Caesar Salad and add chicken!
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
This grilled chicken Caesar salad with creamy dressing and garlicky grilled croutons is a modernized version of the classic Caesar salad.
With grilled marinated chicken, garlicky grilled sliced baguette croutons, hearts of romaine lettuce, and lots of shaved Parmesan cheese, this grilled chicken Caesar salad is the perfect summer dinner.
Ive been in love with grilled chicken salads ever since I made this Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad. Im always on a quest for great dinner in a salad recipe.
Now that we are enjoying grilling weather, you definitely need to try this grilled chicken Caesar salad. With hearts of romaine, olive oil, garlic, and lemon marinated chicken, and lots of shaved Parmesan, this salad is loaded with flavor.
Toss this salad with a creamy dressing with anchovies, mustard, lemon juice, more Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, and olive oil, and garnish it with big garlicky croutons made from baguette slices for a wonderful summer dinner.
Did you know that the Caesar salad was invented by a San Diego restaurateur of Italian heritage who owned restaurants across the border in Tijuana to avoid Prohibition? The salad, without chicken, was prepared by waiters in ill-fitting vests at your table.
There are disputes as to whether or not anchovies and garlic were included in the dressing. Regardless, if the addition of came along later, it was worth the wait.
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Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Dressing
You know whats funny about this post. Is it is a staple or classic recipe. I realized recently that I post a lot of fun jazzed up recipes but not as many classics or staples. I think because I just assume people know how to make them or they dont want the classics. But the truth is, everyone needs a classic.
Grill Romaine Lettuce And Garlic
Now onto the main event! Were going to take some hearts of romaine lettuce and slice them right down the center lengthwise.
Now comes the grilling! Youre going to want to get your outdoor or indoor grill hot. Really really hot. The idea is to char the lettuce as quickly as possible to reduce the wilting. Cooked, wilted lettuce is gross, but a quick grill to get that smokey flavor and grill marks is delicious!
Also, youre going to want to slice a whole head of garlic in half and get that grilling too. This will be used in the dressing. Oh yes, its going to be good. Once everything looks good and charred, take it off the grill to cool.
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Cook And Crumble Bacon
Meanwhile, cook some bacon. I used precooked bacon because I generally dont like doing more dishes than I have to. And this way my kitchen stays splatter-free! #winning Feel free to pan-fry your bacon or even use this super easy oven method for cooking bacon.
Chop all of your bacon up and set it aside.
How Long Does The Recipe Take
12 Minutes Grilling Time!
The entire salad takes about 12 minutes to grillif grilling the components in serial fashion.
The chicken is grilled first, followed by the bread and finally the lettuce.
PRO TIP: The time can be made shorter by grilling the lettuce and bread at the same time but they need to be watched closely to not char them more than desired.
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What Are The Key Ingredients For A Caesar Salad
It can vary slightly but the basics for a Caesar salad include romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons , and of course 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! This will taste so much better!
Why Youll Love This
- My dressing is made without anchovies or raw eggs.
- This Caesar Salad has grilled chicken making it a full, hearty meal.
- The crunch of the lettuce paired with the creaminess of zesty Caesar dressing topped with spicy chicken and garlicky croutons finished off with a kick of Parmesan will make you fall in love with salads.
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Ingredients For Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
For salad:
- Homemade Caesar vinaigrette I made the most delicious lighter Caesar vinaigrette for this recipe. Packed with all the flavors youre used to with less dairy. We also use part of the dressing as a marinade for the chicken!
- Romaine lettuce Ultimate crunch! Romaine is traditional for Caesar salad but it also tastes great and goes well with all the textures of the salad. You can also grill the romaine if youre feeling adventurous.
- Shaved Parmesan I know we have Parmesan in the dressing but I love it even more over the top for serving.
- Croutons Store-bought or homemade is fine. I really love my Homemade Garlic Butter Croutonsfor this recipe. They add ultimate crunch and garlic flavor.
- Boneless skinless chicken breast I think chicken breast works really well for this recipe as it cooks up quickly and soaks up the marinade in just a few hours. I grilled my chicken but you can also pan fry or broil your chicken if you dont have a grill.
For dressing:
How To Make A Lighter Caesar Dressing
The dressing has been lightened up from the traditional classic version, still retaining the signature flavors but making it forgiving to our exposed summer waistlines.
The dressing is packed the big flavored ingredients such as lemon, anchovy paste , vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard and more.
To keep it creamy and slim down the fat weve used light sour cream. It adds tang and a wonderful texture.
TIP SAVING TIP: The dressing may bemade beforehand and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use it, or warmed at room temperature.
Due to the sour cream it should not be left out for any duration especially in hot temperatures.
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Ingredients For Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad
Homemade Caesar Dressing
My version skips on the anchovies and raw egg. Instead I use a vegetarian Wooster sauce for that umami flavour. I also combine mayonnaise with Greek yogurt which makes the dressing lighter and fresher. To this I add some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
Garlic Croutons
Use any sturdy loaf of bread like sourdough or ciabatta. White sandwich bread will also work. To make croutons extra flavourful, youll also need garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, black pepper and olive oil.
Spicy Grilled Chicken
I use one boneless chicken breast for this recipe. To make it spicy, I add some Sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes and some other common spices which you can find in the recipe card below.
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich
Storage: Refrigerate the chicken and dressing, separately, for up to 3 days. Leave the dressing at room temperature for about 10 minutes and whisk vigorously to reincorporate.
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- Freshly shaved parmesan cheese, for serving
- Cornichons, for serving
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Why Youll Love This Grilled Caesar Salad Recipe:
- Classic but Better!: Take a classic salad recipe and make it better! Theres so much more texture and flavor in this version.
- Juicy Grilled Chicken: Adding grilled chicken to a caesar salad means you can make this a whole meal, or at least a more hearty starter.
- Easy to Make: This salad is still so simple to make, and the extra step of grilling makes all the difference!
Make chicken caesar salad on the grill to accompany all your favorite summertime dishes! It pairs well with the fanciest dishes, as well as the more casual ones.
Keeping The Romaine Lettuce Whole
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.
I like to finish this salad with pinenuts, parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper!
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Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad 101
There is just something about grilled chicken breast, parmesan cheese, and caesar dressing the flavor combination is out of this world and we cant get enough! This salad is a regular weekend lunch at our house plus it is so easy to grill up some extra chicken to have on hand for making salads for lunch all week long. So easy and so good!
Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad
· By Qashang · This post may contain affiliate links.
Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad is a super delicious and hearty meal. This one is made with some fresh Romaine lettuce, my irresistible Caesar dressing without anchovies or raw eggs, homemade garlic croutons and real Parmesan shavings.And all this is topped with a juicy, succulent piece of grilled chicken.
If you do not like the fishy taste of anchovies and the thought of consuming raw eggs then this Caesar salad is for you. Some Worcestershire sauces might have anchovies in them so if you are totally avoiding anchovies make sure you get a vegetarian version.
My homemade garlic croutons also totally jazz up this dish. You can definitely get some store-bought croutons too. But please do not skimp on the dressing as it is the star of any Caesar Salad. And the store-bought ones dont even come close.
Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad may seem like a lot of work but trust me in the end it is all worth it. It may also not be the healthiest salad out there but if you are a little mindful about not drowning it in the dressing, I am sure you can save a few calories.
And if we are being a little indulgent already, how about pairing this lusciousness with my Cheesy Garlic Bread.
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What To Do With Leftovers
If youve made more salad that you can use in one sitting, toss just the amount of lettuce and chicken you will be using in the dressing.
You can store the leftover lettuce, undressed, in your crisper. Store the leftover chicken separately in the refrigerator, along with the dressing. This is best of eaten in 1-2 days.
Making The Chicken Marinade
My classic chicken marinade for Caesar salad includes lemon, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and Italian herbs. For the most flavorful chicken, I highly recommend marinating your chicken first. It will flavor it and tenderize it at the same time.
This marinade makes the chicken tender and juicy! I like to slice the chicken into diagonal strips because I think it looks prettier on the plate than cut into cubes.
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!
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Cobb Salad + Caesar Salad
Seasoning the chicken in lemon and oregano for some epic Greek flavours, then grilling said chicken for a charcoal, barbecued flavour, kicks it all off. Adding some perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, croutons, tomatoes, avocados, parmesan. Crispy bacon compliments the chicken so much so that you dont even know which way to direct your fork! BUT THEN comes the dressing. Or should I say, THE DRESSING.
How To Time The Cooking
Make sure your grill is hot before beginning to grill. Even a high-BTU gas grill needs at least 10 to 15 minutes to build up heat. If you have a thermometer on your grill, make sure it reads at least 500oF.
I like to grill the bread first, and then the chicken. That way I can watch each of them and also to make sure there is no cross contamination between the raw chicken and the lightly grilled bread. The bread only takes a couple of minutes and the chicken takes about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the thighs.
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Tips For Grilling Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs:
Boneless chicken thighs cook on the grill very quickly! About 4 minutes on each side, and theyre done.
Because they are skinless, its very important to let them cook undisturbed, without trying to flip before theyre ready or the meat will stick to the grill.
To avoid the meat sticking, you are going to preheat your grill to medium high heat so that the sear happens quickly. Take your tongs and grab a hold of one of the thighs and if they dont want to let go of the grates, let them cook for another minute and then try again.
Making Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Is Easier Than You Think
Over the years Ive played around with several caesar dressing recipes, and Ive come to the conclusion that you dont the base to be made from egg yolks for it to be absolutely delicious.
Instead, I use high quality mayonnaise like Sir Kensingtons and then straight-forward ingredients that pack a lot of flavor like Worcestershire sauce, garlic, parmesan cheese, and anchovy paste. Everything is simply whisked in a bowl and thats it!
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Why Make Caesar Salad On The Grill
Making salad on the grill? Hear me out! Grilling adds such a wonderful smoky flavor to this classic salad.
Grilled chicken adds more protein and flavor to a caesar salad. And grilling the romaine hearts creates a delightfully crispy texture to your greens.
Youll be making this version every summer, along with your other grilled favorites.
How To Make A Chicken Caesar Salad
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How To Grill The Chicken
We love to give the chicken a little seasoning before grilling the chicken. This can be done by either using a Dry Rub or a . Either one gives the chicken some great flavor. Once you have your chicken ready to go you can simply follow the easy steps of how to grill chicken breasts. It will ensure that you have juicy, fully-cooked chicken every time!
Best Bread For Homemade Croutons
- I think the best bread to use for a Caesar salad is ciabatta bread.
- The nooks and crannies that this bread provides soaks up the Ceasar salad dressing perfectly as it rests in the crevices of the croutons.
- Ciabatta bread is also hearty enough to not get soggy under the weight of the dressing.
- You can also freeze the croutons after they cool and reheat in the oven to crisp them back up when ready to serve.
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How To Store Chicken Caesar Salad
Honestly, the best way to store Chicken Caesar Salad is to prep everything ahead of time and then store it separately. If you store the salad already dressed with dressing it will end up soggy. So I recommend putting your chopped romaine lettuce into a nice big bowl or storage bag, and drape a paper towel over the top so moisture doesnt settle on the leaves while your salad sits in the fridge. Then store your chicken separate as well as dressing. When youre ready to serve, just assemble all the already prepped ingredients. However, if you really want to store everything together. Id recommend putting the chicken on the bottom of a large storage container, then the cheese, the lettuce and the croutons. Top with dressing when ready to serve.
This Chicken Caesar Salad is great in and of itself. But theres nothing wrong with adding a little some some to your salad. After all, if Im being honest I do! The more veggies the better, in my humble opinion. But in either case, you definitely need to make this recipe! Its seriously amazing and such a classic to have around!
Bon Appetit!
