Summer-time lunches need to be a few things: fresh, delicious, and easy to make. One of my all-time favorite meals is a Chicken Caesar Salad. Although I appreciate the classic recipe while dining out, my homemade version is always dictated by what I have leftover in the fridge. My non-negotiables for making this salad are chicken, croutons, parmesan, and Caesar dressing. This is supposed to be quick so I use store-bought dressing which I LOVE and will not be judged for. Now let’s get cooking!
Marinate the Chicken
I like to prepare my chicken breasts by having them sliced very thinly, around 1/4 of an inch ( or 1/2 cm). I remove any excess fat or veins to avoid any chewy pieces which will give me the chicken-ick for an unspecified amount of time. Once it’s been cleaned, I add it to a bowl with a splash of olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, and oregano. I like to keep it nice and simple since I know the caesar dressing will pack a punch and I want to keep the flavors balanced. Mix the seasonings into the chicken and make sure every piece is coated evenly.
Prep the Veg
Traditionally you would only use romaine lettuce in a chicken Caesar salad, but I had a mix of red cabbage and shredded iceberg lettuce in my fridge that needed to be used. I love the crunchy combination and honestly prefer my lettuce shredded in a salad. I washed it and then spun it dry in my salad spinner. If you don’t have one, lay your washed lettuce out on a cutting board and use some paper towels to pat it dry.
Next, move on to cleaning and chopping any vegetables you want to add. I have cucumbers and tomatoes so I added those in for some extra vitamins and volume. I then add everything to a bowl with some of the Caesar dressing. Mix this thoroughly to combine
Cook the Chicken
There are a few things to remember if you want nicely browned and juicy chicken with yummy crispy bits:
- Preheat your pan on a medium-high flame for a few minutes before putting your chicken in.
- Listen for a loud sizzle when you add in your chicken. If you do not hear it, wait for the pan to heat up and try again.
- Once your chicken is in the pan, do not move it at all!
- Allow your chicken to rest after cooking.
I like my chicken breasts to be pretty thin so it only takes about 4 minutes per side. I check that there is some nice golden brown action going on before I flip the chicken. You will also know you are close to flipping time when the outer sides of the chicken start turning white and opaque instead of pink and semi-translucent. Once you flip, allow the chicken to cook through for another 3 minutes. Then remove your chicken and allow a few minutes to rest before slicing.
Cook the Croutons
I like making my own croutons because it’s easy and allows me to control the calories a bit better. Store-bought croutons are always loaded with oil which leads to higher calories. I chop a slice of crunch bread ( sourdough, or another baked loaf) into small cubes ( 1/2-inch or 1cm). Then either in a new pan, or in the pan you just cooked the chicken, heat up 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and add the bread cubes. Season to taste with some salt, pepper, and oregano so they add even more flavor to the Chicken Caesar Salad. Keep an eye on these because they can burn very quickly! I like to toast them on a low to medium-low heat to avoid burning. Remove once they are golden brown and add to your bowl with lettuce and veggies.
Build the Caesar!
In your large mix bowl, combine the lettuce, veggies, croutons, and Caesar dressing. Add this base to your plates. Top with slices of your grilled chicken and shavings of parmesan cheese. Now enjoy your delicious homemade Chicken Caesar Salad!
Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 400 grams Chicken Breast- thinly sliced
- 3 cups Lettuce of your choice. ( I used a mix)
- 2-3 tbsp Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Cucumbers
- 1 slice Bread
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Prep your chicken breasts by removing an additional fat or veins and place in a large mixing bowl with 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and all the listed seasonings and lemon juice. Mix until all chicken is coated and leave on the side to marinate for a few minutes.
- Clean your lettuce and remove all the water using a salad spinner or paper towel.
- Place a grill pan ( or regular non-stick pan) on the stove on a medium-high heat. Allow the pan the heat up for 2-3 minutes.
- Wash an additional veggies you will be using such as tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Once the pan is heated up, place your chicken on the pan, and do not move it! Leaving the chicken alone will help form those brown grill marks. Cook time will vary on the thickness of your chicken. I always prefer mine sliced very thin which takes around 4 minutes, or until you see the sides of the chicken turn white. Then flip the chicken and allow to cook for 2 more minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, chop up whatever additional veggies you will be using and place them in another large mixing bowl with the salad.
- Take your slice of bread and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes ( 1 cm).
- When your chicken has been flipped and is done cooking, remove it from the pan and place it on a cutting board to cool down.
- Either in the same pan where you cooked the chicken or a new one, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and add in your bread chunks. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Cook the bread on a low heat until nicely browned through. Pay attention because this can happen quickly!
- After the chicken has been cooling down for at least 5 minutes, slice WITH the grain ( direction of the chicken fibers) into your preferred-sized strips.
- In your mixing bowl add in your caesar dressing and croutons and mix thoroughly. Portion your salad onto your plate and top with chicken.
- Lastly, top with parmesan cheese to taste. You can use a cheese grated for smaller pieces of a peeler for thin strips.