Perfect Chicken Caesar Salad
- PREP 1hrs 20min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 1hrs 50min
This is our family’s favorite chicken Caesar salad. We use our homemade Caesar dressing and our Greek marinated chicken to make it. The flavor is out of this world! This salad makes 4 (very) generous servings or 6 generous side salads. If you’d like an eggless salad dressing, use this egg-free Caesar dressing.
You Will Need
For the Chicken
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds (680g) chicken breast or thighs
For the Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce
1 bunch of kale
Half medium sweet onion, sliced thin
Parmesan cheese shavings
1 batch of homemade Caesar dressing, 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup
4 cups torn or cubed day-old bread, about 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning, optional
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Marinate the Chicken
Combine the olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, dill, oregano, yogurt, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl that is large enough to hold the chicken.
Add the chicken, turning them around in the marinade so they are well coated. Marinate covered in the fridge for 1 to 8 hours.
Make the Croutons and Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, one for the croutons and the other for the chicken.
Toss the bread with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Add dried herbs, if using, and toss well.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, until crisp and lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
While the croutons bake, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Lightly oil, and then place the chicken into the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until grill marks, but do not cook until cooked in the middle. Watch that your heat is not too high during this step, as the honey can burn.
Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and spoon over any remaining marinade from the bowl.
Bake until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F, about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken is. Rest for 5 minutes, and chop into bite-size pieces ready for the salad.
Make the Salad
Chop the romaine lettuce. Strip the leaves from hearty kale stems and chop or tear them apart. Rinse the lettuce and kale under cool water, then pat or spin them dry.
Toss lettuce, kale, and sliced onions with a few generous spoonfuls of the dressing. If the salad looks dry, add a bit more dressing. Scatter over a few handfuls of the croutons and finish with parmesan cheese shavings and chopped chicken.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Alternatives for cooking the chicken: You can grill, bake, or cook the chicken in a skillet or grill pan. My favorite option is to sear the outside for color and finish in the oven. Since honey is in the marinade, it will darken quite a bit so watch for burning when you sear your chicken. You can skip the grill pan and go directly to the oven. You will still get a little color. If you use an outdoor grill, use our grilled chicken recipe for tips.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We assumed chicken breasts and 2 tablespoons of dressing per serving.