Chicken Caesar salad
A timeless classic
Here in the United States, and especially near its birthplace in Southern California, chicken Caesar salad appears on just about every menu.
One of the most famous salads in the world, it’s incredibly popular here. And that’s no surprise, since this is where the story of the salad began. Caesar Cardini, the creator of Caesar salad, was an Italian immigrant who lived in San Diego and worked at a restaurant just across the border in Mexico.
That restaurant, Caesar’s in Tijuana, still exists today. The salad was created by chance during a time when the kitchen was running low on ingredients. Out of necessity, a combination of simple ingredients came together and eventually grew into a culinary classic enjoyed around the world.
A satisfying salad
Salads come in all shapes and sizes, and the possibilities are endless. During the summer, they make frequent appearances on our table. The only downside is that not every salad is actually filling. In our opinion, a good salad should not only be fresh and flavorful, but also satisfying enough to keep you full. That’s exactly where Caesar salad shines. With crisp romaine lettuce, tender chicken, a creamy dressing, and crunchy croutons, it easily works as a complete and satisfying meal.
The perfect recipe
Making a classic chicken Caesar salad is easier than you might think. Start by making the croutons. Cut 2 slices of day-old bread into cubes, drizzle them with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake until crisp on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Next, cook the bacon until crispy, cook the chicken, and soft-boil the eggs.
Meanwhile, combine Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, olive oil, anchovy fillets, one pressed garlic clove, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and a tablespoon Worcestershire sauce in a food processor. Blend until smooth to create the dressing. Feel free to adjust the Worcestershire sauce to your taste, although it is the ingredient that gives the salad its signature flavor.
Serve and enjoy
Toss the romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, and crispy bacon with about three-quarters of the dressing in a large salad bowl. Divide the salad between two plates, slice the grilled chicken breasts into strips, and place them on top. Add the homemade croutons and the soft-boiled eggs, cut in half. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and finish with a generous amount of extra Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Chicken Caesar salad
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
Chicken Caesar salad combines crisp romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, homemade croutons, and a creamy Caesar dressing.
Ingredients
- 9 oz chicken breast
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 oz bacon, chopped
- 2 large eggs, halved
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 2 slices bread
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 fresh romaine lettuce
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the bread into bite-sized pieces, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet without oil until lightly crispy. Remove from the skillet and chop into pieces.
- Soft-boil the eggs for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Season the chicken breast all over with salt and black pepper. In the same skillet, cook the chicken in a splash of olive oil until golden brown and cooked through.
- In a food processor, combine the Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, olive oil, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend until smooth.
- Tear the romaine lettuce into large pieces and place in a large salad bowl.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes and bacon. Toss with about three-quarters of the dressing. Divide between 2 plates.
- Slice the chicken into strips and arrange on top of the salads. Add the halved eggs and croutons. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and finish with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Leftover bread or baguette works perfectly for homemade croutons!
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking, Boiling, Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
