Chicken Caesar with Garlic Croutons (Printable)
A crisp blend of grilled chicken, garlic croutons, romaine, and creamy Caesar dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz total)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garlic Croutons
05 - 3 cups day-old baguette or rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4.2 oz)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Caesar Dressing
09 - 1 egg yolk (or 2 tbsp mayonnaise for no-raw-egg version)
10 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced (or 1 tbsp anchovy paste)
12 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1/2 cup olive oil (120 ml)
16 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 0.9 oz)
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Salad Assembly
18 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
19 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, and salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once midway, until golden and crisp. Let cool.
03 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk or mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously until fully emulsified. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Toss romaine lettuce in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Add sliced chicken, garlic croutons, and additional Parmesan cheese. Gently toss once more.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra black pepper and Parmesan as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You'll actually make your own dressing and taste the difference between that and anything bottled.
- Homemade croutons stay crunchy longer and taste infinitely better than store-bought.
- It comes together in less than an hour, but tastes like you spent the whole afternoon on it.
02 -
- Don't add the dressing until you're ready to eat—wet lettuce becomes sad lettuce, and croutons lose their crunch.
- The dressing must emulsify properly or it will break and separate; go slowly with the oil and keep whisking.
- Slice the chicken thinly after it rests; it stays juicier that way and distributes better through the salad.
03 -
- Make the dressing a few hours ahead if you'd like, but dress the salad only when you're about to serve it.
- If your dressing breaks during whisking, start fresh with another egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in the broken dressing as if it were oil—it'll emulsify again.