Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is the classic. The gold-standard. The king of salads. It earned this lofty title thanks to its own flavor merits: a combination of crisp, crunch, creamy, and cheesy. The garden-fresh bed of lettuce supports homemade sourdough croutons and the classic peppery, creamy, tangy dressing. The grilled chicken adds savory and meaty flavors while mingling with the other tastes on the plate. You can taste the difference immediately: a homemade Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad beats anything that comes out of a bag.
Ingredients
For the homemade garlic croutons:
- 3 cups sourdough bread, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Caesar dressing:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- tabasco sauce, to taste
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
For the grilled chicken salad:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/3 cup parmesan, shaved
- 2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Add the bread cubes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 3 of the minced garlic cloves to a large bowl, tossing to coat.
Step 3 –Spread the bread cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Step 4 –Bake, tossing halfway through, until toasted and crunchy, about 10 minutes.
Step 5 –Season the croutons with the salt, the pepper, and the parsley, and set the croutons aside.
Step 6 –Add the remaining garlic, the white vinegar, the mustard, the tabasco, the lemon juice, the honey, and the mayo to a food processor or blender.
Step 7 –Blend until the garlic is minced.
Step 8 –Add in the remaining olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the grated parmesan and blend until combined.
Step 9 –Set the dressing aside.
Step 10 –Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Step 11 –Season both sides of the chicken with the salt and the pepper.
Step 12 –Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internally, about 4-7 minutes per side.
Step 13 –Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing the chicken.
Step 14 –Add the romaine lettuce, the grilled chicken, the shaved parmesan, the remaining grated parmesan, and the homemade croutons to a large bowl.
Step 15 –Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
