Chicken Caesar Salad Croutons (Printable Version)
Hearty grilled chicken, romaine, parmesan, and golden homemade croutons come together in this classic dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Croutons
06 - 3 cups day-old baguette or country bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Salad
10 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
11 - 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
→ Caesar Dressing
12 - 1 large egg yolk
13 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
14 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
17 - 1/2 cup olive oil
18 - 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
19 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
20 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, dried Italian herbs if using, and salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Rub with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together egg yolk, Dijon mustard, minced anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously to emulsify. Stir in grated parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce with the dressing until evenly coated. Add croutons and half of the parmesan cheese, tossing gently to combine.
05 - Divide salad among four plates, top each with sliced chicken and additional parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- Homemade croutons taste nothing like the stale ones from a jar, and they'll ruin you for anything else.
- The Caesar dressing comes together in minutes and tastes so much better than bottled that you'll wonder why you ever bothered with store-bought.
- It's a complete meal in one bowl that doesn't feel heavy, even though it's loaded with protein and all the good things.
- You can have dinner on the table in under an hour without any stress or special skills.
02 -
- If your dressing looks like it's breaking or separating when you're whisking in the oil, stop and start over with a clean bowl and a fresh egg yolk, then whisk in the broken dressing slowly. It usually works second time around.
- Don't dress the salad more than 15 minutes before you eat it, or the lettuce will wilt and lose that vital crispness that makes this dish work.
- Your croutons will stay crispy for two days if you store them in an airtight container, so you can actually make them ahead and feel a little bit like you have your life together.
03 -
- Make your dressing first so it can sit while you handle the chicken and croutons. The flavors actually get better as they meld together.
- If you have a salad spinner, use it. Wet lettuce is the enemy of a good salad, and a spinner gets your romaine perfectly dry without bruising it.