🥗 Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
This Grilled Chicken Caesar salad boasts the best creamy Caesar salad dressing ever! And anyone that has tried it agrees. With a tangy and delicious garlicky dressing, crunchy croutons, crisp romaine, a little bit spicy, with juicy grilled chicken, this will become your go-to Caesar Salad. This recipe came from a restaurant (Clancy's) that no longer exists, but it has become a family favorite and always requested at dinners and potlucks!
Servings 8 people
Calories 186kcal
Ingredients
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
- ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning approx.
- ½ tablespoon Garlic powder approx.
Caesar Salad Dressing:
- 2 whole eggs * you can use pasturized whole eggs or pasturized liquid eggs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 -50g can of anchovies (drained) * you can substitute anchovy paste
- 1 ounce worcestershire sauce
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce white wine vingegar
- 1 cup olive oil
Salad:
- â…“ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 -142 g bag of ceasar salad croutons
- 1-2 head romaine lettuce washed and dried *or use romaine hearts
Garnish:
- parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- lemon wedges (optional)
- black pepper
Instructions
- Generously sprinkle garlic powder and Cajun seasoning on both sides of boneless skinless chicken breasts.½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning, ½ tablespoon Garlic powder
- Place chicken on heated grill and grill chicken breasts over medium-high heat until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle (internal temperature of 165 degrees F/74 degrees C).4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
- Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Wash and cut lettuce into bite sized pieces.1-2 head romaine lettuce
Caesar Salad Dressing
- Add eggs, garlic, anchovies, wine vinegar, Worcestershire and lemon juice to blender and mix until smooth.2 whole eggs, 3 cloves garlic, 1 -50g can of anchovies (drained), 1 ounce worcestershire sauce, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1 ounce white wine vingegar
- Then turn blender down to low setting ang slowly add olive oil and blend for another minute or so, until combined.1 cup olive oil
- Mix dressing into lettuce mixture until combined. Add croutons, Parmesan cheese, and cooked chicken. Sprinkle on a little more Parmesan cheese , black pepper, and add lemon wedges, if desired.â…“ cup parmesan cheese, 1 -142 g bag of ceasar salad croutons, parmesan cheese for sprinkling, black pepper, lemon wedges (optional)
Notes
Expert Recipe Tips:
Â
*NOTE: This recipe uses raw eggs. If you are concerned about this, then use pasteurized whole eggs or liquid eggs. **You can read more about egg safety HERE. and HERE! There is a risk of illness/food poisoning/Salmonella if you use raw eggs.
**NOTE: Read how you can pasteurize eggs in the microwave at home HERE!
Â
-
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer for Perfectly Cooked Chicken. To ensure your chicken is juicy and safe to eat, use an instant-read thermometer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). This eliminates guesswork and prevents overcooking, which can dry out the meat—especially when grilling.
-
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor. While the recipe uses a simple Cajun and garlic powder rub, marinating the chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, and the Cajun spices for 30 minutes to 2 hours will make the chicken even more tender, juicy, and flavorful.
-
- Use a High-Powered Blender for Dressing. To get that ultra-smooth, emulsified Caesar dressing, use a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix or Ninja). This ensures the anchovies and garlic are completely pureed and the oil emulsifies properly for a creamy texture that clings to the lettuce.
-
- Chill Your Romaine Lettuce. For the crispest, restaurant-style lettuce, wash and chop your romaine, then refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before assembling the salad. Cold lettuce stays firmer under the heavy dressing.
-
- Let the Chicken Rest Before Slicing. Rest grilled chicken for at least 5–10 minutes after cooking to lock in juices. Cutting it immediately can dry it out. Slice just before adding to the salad to keep the pieces juicy and warm.
-
- Add Olive Oil Slowly. When making the dressing, drizzle the olive oil in very slowly with the blender on low speed. This gradual process creates a stable emulsion and gives the dressing that rich, velvety consistency.
-
- Toast Store-Bought Croutons. Even store-bought croutons benefit from a few minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven. This enhances their crunch and brings out flavor — especially if they’ve gone slightly stale.
-
- Finish with Fresh Cracked Pepper & Shaved Parmesan. Just before serving, top the salad with freshly cracked black pepper and wide shavings of Parmesan for a restaurant-style finish. It adds both visual appeal and texture contrast
- .Serve Immediately After Tossing. For best texture, toss the salad with dressing right before serving.Â
- Cajun seasoning:Â If you don't have Cajun seasoning, I would recommend you buy some! It's great for seasoning meat, especially for the grill. However, in a pinch, you could substitute chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Make it SPICIER! Add a ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the dressing as you're blending it. Or you can mix in some sriracha sauce (1 tbsp) or Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce (¼ cup) to spice it up!
- Anchovies: I often keep a tube of anchovy paste in the fridge as a backup, in case I don't have canned anchovies on hand. I use about â…“ of a tube for this recipe.
- Crouton: You can make homemade croutons or simply use store-bought
- Grilled chicken: I can't always grill the chicken on the BBQ, so I often cook it on the stovetop. You can also use a stovetop grill like this to achieve grill marks (below). It functions just like a frying pan. *See Equipment* You could also cook your chicken breast in the air fryer or a skillet on the stovetop. Alternatively, you could use boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs instead.
- Wine vinegar: You can use red wine vinegar instead of white
- Lemon juice: You can use fresh lemon juice instead of lemon juice from concentrate, but you'll need to double the amounlettuce wilts and croutons soften, which can make the salad soggy
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 479mg | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.9mg
