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American

Chicken Caesar Salad

Chicken is grilled to 165°F and sliced over romaine with Parmesan, croutons, and a lemon-anchovy dressing. It is a full salad, not a side of leaves.

Prep
20 min
Cook
14 min
Total
34 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Chicken Caesar salad with sliced grilled chicken, romaine, croutons, and Parmesan

Why you’ll love it

  • Grilled chicken turns a Caesar from a side into dinner.
  • Anchovy in the dressing is the savory note people miss when they leave it out.
  • Torn romaine holds dressing better than shredded lettuce.
  • The chicken temperature is checked, then the salad is assembled.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    If the chicken is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. Pat it dry. Do not rinse the chicken. Rub with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Heat a grill to medium-high and oil the grates. Grill the chicken 6 to 7 minutes per side, until the thickest part of each breast reads 165°F.

  3. 3

    Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then slice it.

  4. 4

    Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, anchovy, garlic, and Parmesan into a dressing. Taste and add a pinch of salt if the anchovy did not salt it enough.

  5. 5

    Toss the romaine with most of the dressing in a large bowl.

  6. 6

    Add the croutons and sliced chicken. Shave or sprinkle extra Parmesan on top and serve.

Pro tips

  • Dress the lettuce just before serving. Dressed romaine wilts if it sits.
  • Mince the anchovy to a paste so no one gets a salty chunk.
  • If you do not have a grill, a grill pan on the stove works. Still pull the chicken at 165°F.

Easy substitutions

Anchovy fillets
1 tsp anchovy paste, or 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan extra if you refuse anchovy.
Mayonnaise
Plain Greek yogurt for a tangier dressing.
Croutons
Torn day-old bread toasted with a little olive oil.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Store leftover chicken and dressing separately from the lettuce for up to 3 days. The dressed salad does not keep.

Reheating

Eat the salad cold. Reheat leftover chicken in a covered skillet until it reads 165°F if you want it warm, then slice it onto fresh romaine.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
388
Protein
38 g
Carbs
14 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
3 g

Moderate · Grill · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients