Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken and Homemade Dressing
Crisp romaine lettuce tossed with creamy anchovy-Worcestershire dressing, topped with pan-seared chicken breast, toasted bread cubes, cherry tomatoes, and shaved Parmesan. A from-scratch take on the classic, with quick-fried croutons and smooth emulsified dressing made with mayonnaise, yogurt, and anchovies.
Ingredients
- 1 romaine lettuce, large head, washed and spin-dried and cut into ⅓" stripsmixed greens1:1vegetablesFull guide →
- 7 oz cherry tomatoes, washed, drained, and halved
- 1 lb chicken breast fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 oz Parmesan, shaved into rough shards
- salt
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 2 oz mayonnaise
- ⅛ cups yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ¼ oz Parmesan, grated
- 4 slices toast bread, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Wash and spin-dry romaine lettuce, then cut into ⅓" wide strips.
- 2
Wash cherry tomatoes, drain, and halve them.
- 3
Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
- 4
Press garlic clove into the bowl with chicken, season with salt, and mix well.
- 5
Heat vegetable oil in a pan and pan-fry chicken pieces on all sides until cooked through, then set aside.
- 6
Cut toast bread into cubes.
- 7
Heat olive oil in a pan and toast bread cubes, turning several times, until golden and crispy. Transfer to plate.
- 8
For dressing: press garlic clove and combine with anchovies, mustard, mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and grated Parmesan in a tall vessel. Blend with immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
- 9
Arrange lettuce and cherry tomatoes on serving plates.
- 10
Top with chicken pieces and croutons, sprinkle with Parmesan shards, and drizzle with dressing.
Tips
Spin-dry lettuce thoroughly to prevent soggy salad.
Toast croutons just before serving to maintain crispness.
Blend dressing until completely smooth for best emulsification.
Good to Know
Dressing keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Assemble salad immediately before serving to prevent wilting.
Prepare dressing, croutons, and chicken up to 1 day ahead. Cut vegetables and toast bread cubes within a few hours of serving.
Serve immediately after assembly. Offer extra dressing on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not over-blend dressing or it will become too thin.
Do not add dressing until just before serving to avoid soggy lettuce.
Do not skip the garlic clove in the dressing for full flavor.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
removes umami depth