Salads
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
★★★★½ (4.8)
Smoky grilled chicken, crisp romaine, and a creamy garlic-anchovy dressing come together for a salad hearty enough to be dinner. This is the classic done right, with a from-scratch dressing that beats any bottled version.
- Real grilled chicken instead of sad pre-packaged strips
- Homemade dressing takes 5 minutes and tastes far better than bottled
- Filling enough to be a full dinner, not just a side
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel so they sear instead of steam.
- Rub the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on both sides.
- Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Place chicken in the hot pan and cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes per side, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 F and the chicken is no longer pink inside.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing; slicing too early lets the juices run out and dries the meat.
- While the chicken rests, make the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced garlic, minced anchovy, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until smooth.
- Whisk in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dressing is pourable but still clings to a spoon.
- Slice the rested chicken into 1/2-inch thick strips against the grain.
- Place the chopped romaine in a large bowl only when you are ready to serve; dressing it too early will wilt the leaves.
- Drizzle about half the dressing over the romaine and toss gently with tongs to coat every leaf lightly.
- Divide the dressed lettuce among 4 plates or bowls.
- Top each portion with sliced chicken, croutons, and Parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and add a final pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately while the croutons are still crunchy.
Let the chicken rest before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of pooling on the cutting board.
Dress the romaine right before serving so the leaves stay crisp instead of going soggy.
Nutrition (per serving)
420Calories
34gProtein
27gFat
12gCarbs
3gFiber
780mgSodium
Nutrition information is estimated and provided for convenience only.