BEST Chicken Caesar Salad

5 from 18 votes
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A staple recipe in your household should be this chicken Caesar salad! Juicy grilled or baked chicken, garlicky Caesar dressing, lots of parmesan cheese, and crazy good homemade croutons: it’s seriously the best.

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If I had one final meal to choose, this just might be it. The first time I made this recipe, it immediately went viral in my family. It’s something about the tangy homemade dressing that compliments the freshly grated parmesan cheese and those garlic olive oil croutons that honestly should be banned, they’re so good. Top it off with some freshly grilled or baked chicken breast for the best salad you’ll really ever have. There’s a lot of chicken Caesar salad recipes out there but here’s why this one’s the best:

  • Grilled or baked chicken? I’ll show you both. You choose. Either is awesome.
  • The dressing is light, lemony and garlicky (AKA perfection).
  • Parmesan cheese…we won’t be skimping.
  • Homemade croutons that you’ll want on your salad (and right into your mouth).
  • It’s a “whole meal” salad! No side dishes needed.

Ingredients

  • Romaine lettuce – romaine is the classic lettuce in Caesar salad. It’s crunchy and crisp.
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or parmesan cheese) – Parmigiano-Reggiano is the absolute best cheese for Caesar salad, but regular parmesan cheese works well too! I like to use the coarse setting of a box grater to grate my cheese. Coarsely grated cheese can’t be beaten in Caesar salad!
  • Chicken breasts – chicken breasts can be grilled or baked. I’ll show you both methods.
  • Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is used as the base for our Caesar dressing and to help toast homemade croutons.
  • Tabasco sauce – tabasco adds tanginess. Don’t worry…the dressing doesn’t taste like tabasco.
  • Garlic – lots of garlic is key to an awesome Caesar dressing and deliciously garlicky croutons.
  • Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is a great blend of flavor, made from vinegar, spices, garlic, onions, and anchovies.
  • Grainy Dijon mustard – Dijon mustard adds peppery tang without being mustard-forward.
  • Lemon – lemon adds brightness and astringency.
  • Balsamic vinegar – balsamic is a delicious, easy marinade for the chicken.
  • Soft sandwich bread – regular sandwich bread from the bread aisle is the best for homemade croutons. I like oatmeal or pumpernickel bread. I usually use Pepperidge Farm Oat Bread (this is not an ad).
chicken caesar salad ingredients

How to Make Chicken Caesar Salad

Learn how to make the best chicken Caesar salad. Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!

  1. Cook chicken.

    Marinate chicken in balsamic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper. For grilled chicken, preheat grill to high heat, and grill each side for 6 minutes (total 12 minutes) until chicken register at least 165 degrees. For baked chicken, bake at 425 degrees for 17-21 minutes. Set aside.

  2. Prep romaine.

    Stack romaine leaves, and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place romaine in a large bowl.

  3. Make dressing.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup olive oil, minced garlic, lemon, tabasco, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

  4. Make croutons.

    For croutons, stack sandwich bread slices. Cut off crusts. Cut bread into roughly ½ inch cubes. In a large skillet, add ¼ cup olive oil, sliced garlic, and salt to taste. Preheat pan over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add cubed bread. Toast for 7-14 minutes, tossing often, until croutons are golden. Remove pan from burner, and remove toasted garlic slices if desired.

  5. Toss salad.

    Toss in three-quarters of the dressing to the romaine. Lettuce should look shiny and well-dressed. Add more dressing if needed. Then mix in coarsely grated cheese.

  6. Slice chicken.

    Slice chicken. Either toss in chicken slices, or plate salad and top with chicken.

  7. Serve.

    Plate, finishing with croutons, a little more grated cheese, and black pepper.
    serve chicken caesar salad with more cheese, croutons and black pepper

Watch How to Make It

YouTube video

Tips & Tricks

  • Make sure to rinse and dry romaine well unless it’s pre-washed.
  • I recommend using the coarse setting of a box grater to grate parmesan cheese.
  • Parmigiano-reggiano cheese is the best (it’s aged and more complex than regular parmesan), but regular parmesan cheese also works and is less expensive.
  • The best bread for croutons is regular, soft sandwich bread from the bread aisle in the grocery store! I love Pepperidge Farm Oat Bread (this is not an ad).
  • If you like a lot of chicken, I recommend 1 ½ pounds instead of 1 pound of breasts.
  • You might want to grate extra cheese to garnish!

More Salad Recipes You’ll Love!

5 from 18 votes

BEST Chicken Caesar Salad

A staple recipe in your household should be this chicken Caesar salad! Juicy grilled or baked chicken, garlicky Caesar dressing, lots of parmesan cheese, and crazy good homemade croutons: it’s seriously the best.
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 4 medium salads
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Ingredients 

  • 14 ounces romaine lettuce
  • 1 ½ cups coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or parmesan cheese
  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon to marinate chicken
  • 8 dashes tabasco sauce
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, to marinate chicken
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Homemade Croutons

  • 8 slices soft sandwich bread, I like oatmeal or pumpernickel bread
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions 

  • Marinate chicken in balsamic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper. For grilled chicken, preheat grill to high heat, and grill each side for 6 minutes (total 12 minutes) until chicken register at least 165 degrees. For baked chicken, bake at 425°F for 17-21 minutes. Set chicken aside.
  • Stack romaine leaves, and chop them into bite-sized pieces (see video for visual instructions). Place romaine in a large salad bowl.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup olive oil, minced garlic, lemon, tabasco, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • For croutons, stack sandwich bread slices. Cut off crusts. Cut bread into roughly ½ inch cubes. In a large skillet, add ¼ cup olive oil, sliced garlic, and salt to taste. Preheat pan over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add cubed bread. Toast for 7-14 minutes, tossing often, until croutons are golden. Remove pan from burner, and remove toasted garlic slices if desired.
  • Toss in three-quarters of the dressing to the romaine. Lettuce should look shiny and well-dressed. Add more dressing if needed. Then mix in coarsely grated cheese.
  • Slice chicken. Either toss in chicken slices, or plate salad and top with chicken.
  • Plate, finishing with croutons, a little more grated cheese, and black pepper.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Make sure to rinse and dry romaine well (if it’s not pre-washed).
  • Use the coarse setting of a box grater to grate cheese.
  • The best bread for croutons is regular, soft sandwich bread from the bread aisle in the grocery store! I love Pepperidge Farm Oat Bread (this is not an ad).
  • If bread slices are small, use 12 slices.
  • If you like a lot of chicken, I recommend 1 ½ pounds instead of 1 pound of breasts.
  • You might want to grate extra cheese to garnish!

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad | Calories: 919kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 44g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1101mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8978IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 600mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 919
Keyword: spring, summer
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About Grace Vallo

Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.

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