Chicken Caesar Salad Garlic Croutons (Print)
Fresh grilled chicken paired with crunchy garlic croutons, crisp lettuce, and creamy dressing for a light meal.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz total)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garlic Croutons
05 - 3 cups day-old baguette or rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Caesar Dressing
09 - 1 egg yolk (or 2 tbsp mayonnaise for no-raw-egg version)
10 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced (or 1 tbsp anchovy paste)
12 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1/2 cup olive oil
16 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Salad Assembly
18 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
19 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, and salt in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crunchy. Remove and let cool.
03 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Whisk together egg yolk (or mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, anchovies, minced garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - In a large bowl, toss romaine lettuce with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Add sliced chicken, croutons, and extra Parmesan cheese. Gently toss everything together.
06 - Plate the salad immediately and garnish with additional black pepper and Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic croutons stay crispy for hours, which means you can actually make this ahead without everything turning soggy.
- Homemade dressing tastes so different from bottled that you'll wonder why you ever reached for the supermarket version.
- Grilled chicken breasts stay juicy and tender when you let them rest, turning what could be dry into something genuinely delicious.
- This feeds four people or two very hungry people, making it perfectly scalable for whatever your night looks like.
02 -
- Don't make the dressing more than an hour before serving or it can separate slightly; if it does, just whisk it back together for 30 seconds.
- Tossing the lettuce with dressing too far in advance will wilt it, so assemble the final salad just before eating.
- If you use raw eggs and you're concerned, use pasteurized eggs or substitute with mayonnaise—the dressing will be equally delicious either way.
03 -
- Dry your lettuce thoroughly with a salad spinner or paper towels because water will dilute the dressing and make everything taste flat.
- Make the dressing while the croutons are cooling; it comes together in about three minutes and tastes best served at room temperature.