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Chicken Caeser salad featured image.
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5 from 3 votes

Chicken Caesar Salad

Warm pan seared chicken sits atop a mixture of crisp romaine hearts, homemade garlic croutons, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, and a garlicky lemon Caesar dressing that puts any bottled dressing to shame.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the croutons

  • 3 cups bread cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the dressing

  • 6 anchovies mashed into paste
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 large pasteurized egg yolks
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets thin sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 heads romaine outer leaves removed and torn into 3-inch long pieces
  • 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano thinly shredded (the hole side of a box grater)
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano shaved - for finishing

Instructions

For the croutons

  • Begin by tossing the crouton ingredients together. Spread the croutons out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350f for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.

For the chicken

  • Heat a large stainless steel pan to medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and sear the chicken until cooked through (about 3-4 minutes per side). Place the cooked chicken onto a plate, tent with foil, and set aside. After 5 minutes of resting, slice into pieces.

For the dressing

  • Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor. Turn the processor on and slowly drizzle the olive oil through the top and blend until emulsified. Taste test and season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Note: The dressing can be hand whisked or can also be prepared in a wide-mouthed mason jar with an immersion blender.

To assemble the salad

  • Place the torn romaine leaves into a large bowl and spoon over 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing to start along with most of the croutons and all of the grated cheese. Toss well to coat. If extra dressing is needed, add more to your liking, and toss again.
  • Place the tossed salad into a large platter and lay the chicken strips on top. Sprinkle the remaining croutons over the salad and shave a bit of extra Parmigiano Reggiano ( a vegetable peeler works great!) all over the top. Spoon more of the dressing onto the chicken if desired or serve at the table. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • If the dressing is too thick add a couple of teaspoons of water to thin.  If too thin, add a bit more olive oil and blend once more.
  • Calorie info reflects using all the dressing.  You will most likely not need all of it.
  • Makes 4 large dinner-sized portions or ~6 side salad portions.
  • If you like whole or pieces of anchovies, only use half for the dressing, cut up the rest into pieces, and serve on top of the salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.3g | Protein: 59.5g | Saturated Fat: 8.9g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 1511mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 3.6g | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 10mg