Best Chicken Caesar Salad (Printable Version)

Juicy grilled chicken over crisp romaine with homemade Caesar dressing, croutons, and shaved Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ For the Salad

06 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cup croutons
09 - 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

→ For the Caesar Dressing

10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Rub with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6–7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat, rest for 5 minutes, and slice thinly.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, and croutons. Toss lightly with half the dressing.
06 - Top salad with sliced grilled chicken and shaved Parmesan. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The homemade dressing comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent hours simmering something special
  • Grilled chicken transforms an ordinary salad into something substantial enough for dinner
02 -
  • Letting the chicken rest for those full 5 minutes keeps all the juices inside instead of running out on your cutting board
  • The dressing tastes better after sitting for 15 minutes, so make it first if you have time
03 -
  • Make your own croutons by cubing day-old bread, tossing with olive oil and garlic powder, then toasting at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
  • If anchovies intimidate you, start with anchovy paste which blends in completely unnoticed