This chicken Caesar salad dish consists of a classic Caesar salad with romaine lettuce hearts, croutons, and parmesan, topped with grilled chicken breast, coated with a rich and zesty homemade dressing.

It has plenty of crunch to complement the tender chicken breast, with rich, zesty flavors. It’s a great option for lunch, and can be ready in 20 minutes.

You may also like this easy romaine salad, this quinoa salad, or this couscous salad if you’re looking for more lunch options.

overhead view of chicken caesar salad with homemade croutons on a white plate against a dark wooden table

Ingredients for the Salad

To make this chicken Caesar salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:

overhead view of ingredients needed for chicken caesar salad on a chopping board

For the salad:

Romaine lettuce hearts – 2 Romaine lettuce hearts
Croutons – homemade croutons (from half a ciabatta bread)
Parmesan – shaved parmesan to top the salad, 2 oz (60 grams)

For the dressing:

Egg yolk – 1 egg yolk
Dijon mustard – 1 tsp dijon mustard
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp lemon juice
Olive oil – 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Anchovies – 3 anchovies
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tsp
Garlic – 1 garlic clove
Parmesan – 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Salt – a pinch of salt
Pepper – a pinch of ground black pepper

For the grilled chicken:

Chicken breasts – 2 large chicken breasts
Salt – a pinch of salt
Pepper – a pinch of ground black pepper
Oil – 1/2 tbsp of oil

For the homemade croutons: Cut the bread into cubes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil on them. You can air fry them at 400°F (200°C) for about 6-7 minutes until golden, shaking the air fryer basket a couple of times. Or bake them at 425°F (220°C/200°C fan) until golden (about 8-10 minutes). For added flavor, grate some parmesan on top of them while they’re still warm.

How to Make It

Step 1: Make the salad dressing. If you haven’t separated the egg yolk from the egg white yet, do that first. Then, whisk the egg yolk and Dijon mustard until smooth.

egg yolk and dijon mustard being whisked together in a bowl

Then start drizzling the oil very slowly while whisking so that the dressing thickens and you get a creamy consistency.

olive oil being drizzled and whisked into a bowl of dijon mustard and egg yolk

To the bowl, now add the lemon juice, finely chopped/minced anchovies, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan.

dressing of lemon, anchovies, garlic, egg yolk, mustard, and oil for a chicken caesar salad

close up of caesar salad dressing in a bowl being whisked

Step 2. Prep the romaine lettuce. Roughly chop the romaine hearts and wash the chopped romaine lettuce well. Set aside while making the chicken.

chopped romaine lettuce in a salad spinner

Step 3. Grill the chicken. Slice the two chicken breasts horizontally to create four thinner cutlets. Make sure they’re of even thickness. If they’re not, you can use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to make them evenly thick. Season with salt, pepper, and brush them with oil. Grill them on a grill pan over medium-high heat until they’re fully cooked. Spoon some of the dressing on the chicken (about 1 tbsp per chicken cutlet) while warm to absorb some of it.

dressing being spooned onto a grilled chicken breast as it cooks

overhead view of four grilled chicken breasts with caesar salad dressing on a patterned plate

Step 4. Assemble the salads. Toss the chopped romaine lettuce with the dressing, the croutons, and the shaved parmesan. Plate up and add the chicken on the side (either whole or sliced).

side-by-side of chopped romaine lettuce with croutons in a bowl next to a plate with four grilled chicken breast with dressing

With this recipe, I had enough salad for four servings. You can make this for a quick and hearty lunch, but also for a special occasion, too.

four plates of chicken caesar salad with grilled chicken breast and homemade croutons displayed in a line on a dark wooden table

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