When it comes to salads, few can rival the timeless appeal of a Chicken Caesar Salad. It's a classic for a reason: the perfect combination of crisp romaine lettuce, savoury grilled chicken, creamy Caesar dressing and crunchy homemade croutons. If you're ready to elevate your salad game, this recipe will show you how to create the best Chicken Caesar Salad from scratch.

This classic dish is perfect for a light lunch, a hearty dinner or as a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering. Bon appétit!

Ingredients :

Croutons:

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves


• 1 clove garlic (grated)


• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)


• 4 cups ciabatta bread cubes

Chicken:

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


• 2 tsp lemon zest


• 1 clove garlic (grated)


• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)


• 680g boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Dressing:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise


• ¼ cup buttermilk


• 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan


• 1 clove garlic (grated)


• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


• 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard


• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce


• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Salad:

• 2 heads romaine (roughly chopped)


• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Serves : 4

Cooks In : 2 hours and 40 min

Difficulty : Easy

Preparation Method :

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in the olive oil mixture and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; set aside.

Chicken:
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. In a big-size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
4. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 75°C, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

Dressing:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 Salad:
1. To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with chicken and croutons. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Top with Parmesan.

Tips :

You can prep everything in advance, making this a very quick weeknight meal on those super busy, hectic nights.