Chicken Caesar Salad (Printable)

A vibrant mix of grilled chicken, romaine, croutons, and creamy Caesar dressing with shaved Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
02 - 2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced (approximately 10.5 oz)
03 - 2 cups croutons (approximately 2.8 oz)
04 - 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (approximately 1.4 oz)

→ Caesar Dressing

05 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise (120 ml)
06 - 1/4 cup sour cream (60 ml)
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
09 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced (optional)
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (approximately 0.9 oz)
12 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through. Allow to rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, anchovies (if using), garlic, grated Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce with enough Caesar dressing to coat evenly.
04 - Arrange grilled chicken slices atop the dressed lettuce. Sprinkle croutons and shaved Parmesan cheese over the salad.
05 - Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that doesn't feel heavy, especially when you use just enough dressing to coat rather than pool.
  • You can have dinner on the table in 35 minutes, and it tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The homemade dressing is tangy and alive—nothing like the bottled versions sitting in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't let the chicken cool all the way down before slicing—warm chicken holds its shape better and tastes more tender than cold chicken you're trying to slice through.
  • The dressing made fresh is so much better than anything bottled that once you make it this way, you'll never go back, so commit to the whisking.
  • Anchovies are a secret weapon, not a flavor—if you use them, they should be so finely minced that no one can point to them in the bowl.
03 -
  • Make the dressing up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge—it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors settle together.
  • Slice your chicken against the grain to break up the muscle fibers and make every bite tender instead of chewy.
  • Keep the croutons separate until the last moment so they stay crunchy and don't get soggy from the dressing.
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