Classic Caesar Chicken Salad (Printable)
Crisp romaine, grilled chicken, crunchy croutons, and creamy tangy dressing enhanced with Parmesan cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grilled Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Salad
07 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
08 - 1 cup croutons
09 - 1/2 cup shaved or grated Parmesan cheese
→ Caesar Dressing
10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
13 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
14 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
15 - 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
16 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high temperature.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic powder, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
04 - Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Place chopped romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Add croutons and Parmesan cheese.
06 - Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Arrange sliced grilled chicken atop the salad and drizzle with remaining dressing if desired.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The chicken stays impossibly tender when you let it rest those five minutes, and somehow that small pause makes everything taste more intentional.
- You can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight wins without the takeout guilt.
- The dressing tastes nothing like bottled versions—that umami hit from the anchovies and Worcestershire is the kind of thing that makes people ask for the recipe.
02 -
- Overcooked chicken is the death of this salad—it becomes rubber, and all the dressing in the world can't save it, so use a thermometer if you're nervous and aim for 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toss the salad with only half the dressing unless your guests are watching, because adding it all at once turns everything into mush and people taste the dressing instead of the lettuce.
- Cold or room-temperature chicken changes everything—warm chicken on cool lettuce creates this perfect temperature contrast that makes the whole dish feel balanced and intentional.
03 -
- Buy Parmesan as a wedge and use a vegetable peeler for shavings—they melt slightly on warm chicken and look intentional in a way that pre-grated cheese never does.
- If you don't have fresh lemon, the salad falls flat no matter what else you do, so keep lemons in your fruit bowl like they're essential groceries, because they kind of are.
- Warm chicken on a cold salad is the whole point—don't let anyone convince you to chill the chicken, or you lose the contrast that makes this dish sing.