Make restaurant-quality chicken Caesar salad with delicious baked or grilled chicken, crisp romaine, parmesan, creamy dressing, & crunchy garlic croutons. A super simple yet satisfying light lunch or dinner!
You can cook the chicken with your preferred method, though I usually grill or bake it. To bake boneless, skinless chicken breasts (click here for full recipe):Optionally, brine the chicken.
Season the chicken with oil and your preferred seasonings.
Bake them in a pre-heat oven at 375ºF/190ºC for 18-22 minutes, depending on their size (up to 30 minutes for very large chicken breasts).To ensure the chicken is properly cooked, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the mat. It should read 165ºF/75ºC.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing it and allowing it to cool.
Prepare the croutons
You can bake them in the oven at the same time as the chicken. First, toss the oil and seasonings in a large bowl, mixing well.
Cube the bread into ½-¾ inch pieces, then throw them in the bowl with the oil mixture, and toss to evenly coat.
Spread the bread cubes across a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway. They’re ready when they’re golden brown and crisp.
Remove them from the oven, optionally toss with parmesan, then leave to cool – they will firm up further while they cool.
Make the Caesar salad dressing
Prepare the dressing as soon as the chicken/croutons are in the oven to allow time for the flavors to meld.Add all the ingredients except the water to a food processor (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth and creamy.
Add in the water, a little at a time, to a consistency that slowly flows off a spoon.
Set aside to meld, then taste and adjust any seasonings/flavors before serving.
Assemble the salad
You can assemble the salad once the croutons, dressing, and chicken. But it's best to first leave time (about an hour) for the chicken and croutons to cool down and the dressing flavors to meld.
Rinse and slice the romaine lettuce into 1-inch strips, using paper towels or a salad spinner to remove all excess liquid.
Use a vegetable/potato peeler to shave the parmesan.
Transfer the lettuce to a large salad bowl and add the dressing, using tongs to thoroughly toss them so the leaves are evenly coated.
Add the parmesan, croutons, and sliced chicken and toss again. Enjoy!
Notes
For the crispest salad: Use the inner romaine lettuce leaves and leave it to chill in the refrigerator until it comes time to assemble the salad.
Prepare the elements in advance: Plan for the fact that the croutons and chicken require cooling down, and the dressing needs time to meld.
Add croutons when serving: They’ll become soggy when left in the salad.