Long live the Caesar Salad! This homemade Caesar Salad Dressing will rival that of any great restaurant. To make it a meal, add chicken. You can also poach or fry an egg and serve it on its own.
Call it what you want—making Caesar salad is a pain because you have to dirty a lot of pots and pans for just one salad.
The chicken Caesar salad is a staple menu item at many restaurants and a go-to favorite for homemade meals, But what exactly goes into this iconic salad? Let’s take a closer look at the key ingredients that make this salad so crave-worthy
A Brief History of the Chicken Caesar Salad
The original Caesar salad is believed to have been created in the 1920s by restaurateur Caesar Cardini in Tijuana Mexico. According to legend on a busy Fourth of July weekend with a packed restaurant and limited ingredients, Cardini whipped up the salad with romaine lettuce, a garlic-infused crouton, parmesan cheese, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, lemon juice, and anchovies.
The salad was a huge hit with customers. Over the years, Cardini’s brother Alex added grilled chicken breast to the salad to make it more like an entree. This is how the famous chicken Caesar salad we know and love today came to be.
While the original recipe used whole anchovy fillets, many modern versions substitute anchovy paste for a more subtle flavor. Other popular modern tweaks include swapping out romaine for kale and adding bacon bits or avocado. But at its core the chicken Caesar salad remains a creamy crunchy, savory classic.
The Essential Base: Romaine Lettuce
The base of a chicken Caesar salad is crisp romaine lettuce. The mild taste and tough leaves can handle the thick dressing without getting soggy. You can use spinach or red leaf lettuce, but romaine is still the best lettuce for this salad.
Romaine should be washed, dried, and chopped into bite-sized pieces right before assembling the salad to maintain freshness and crunch. Leaving the leaves whole and putting the dressing on top is also an option for a more restaurant-style presentation.
The Stars of the Show: Chicken and Bacon
Tender, juicy chicken breast is what turns the original Caesar salad into a chicken Caesar salad. Grilled chicken is traditional, but pan-seared or baked chicken breast works just as well. Chicken can be left in slices or chopped into smaller pieces and tossed with the other ingredients.
Crispy cooked bacon or bacon bits are also a popular addition, delivering salty, smoky, savory flavor bombs throughout the salad.
The Creamy Dressing: Eggs, Oil, and Anchovies
The creamy Caesar salad dressing is what really makes this salad stand out. Olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, anchovies, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper are some of the things that go into real dressing. The dressing is rich and thick because the egg yolks and olive oil mix together to make an emulsion.
For safety and ease of use, most modern Caesar salad dressings use mayonnaise instead of raw eggs. Anchovy paste provides a subtle briny, savory note. Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and pepper give the flavors more depth, and lemon makes them more lively. Grated Parmesan lends a nutty, salty tang.
The Crispy, Cheesy Extras: Croutons and Parmesan
No Caesar salad is complete without croutons and Parmesan cheese. Traditionally, croutons are cubes of bread fried in olive oil or butter until crispy and golden brown on the outside, while still maintaining a chewy interior. Garlic, parsley, or other herbs are sometimes added to the croutons for extra flavor. Store-bought croutons work fine, but homemade is best.
Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese is also a must, melting slightly from the residual heat of the other ingredients and dressing to form delicious little cheese nests throughout the salad. Freshly grated Parmesan has the most flavor, but pre-shredded works in a pinch.
Some other tasty extras that can be added include capers, grilled shrimp, avocado, hard-boiled egg slices, or marinated artichoke hearts. But the core ingredients outlined above are what truly define a chicken Caesar salad.
How to Assemble a Chicken Caesar Salad
To build the perfect chicken Caesar salad:
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Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
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Cook the chicken breast and bacon until done. Allow to cool slightly, then slice or chop into pieces.
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Make the dressing if using homemade.
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Place the chopped romaine in a large salad bowl.
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Add a portion of the dressing and toss thoroughly to coat. Add more dressing if needed.
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Top with chicken, bacon, croutons, and Parmesan cheese.
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Toss everything together gently until combined and cheese is slightly melted.
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Add any other desired toppings like hard-boiled egg slices or avocado.
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Season with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
The dressing can be substituted with a good quality store-bought Caesar dressing for convenience. Just be sure to add it right before serving to keep the lettuce crisp.
Tips for the Best Chicken Caesar Salad
Here are some top tips for Caesar salad success:
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Wash and dry the lettuce thoroughly to avoid a soggy salad.
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Use high-quality ingredients like fresh Parmesan and homemade dressing whenever possible.
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Don’t skimp on the anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce – they provide crucial flavor.
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Underdress the salad at first, you can always add more dressing.
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Cut the chicken and bacon into smaller pieces for better distribution of flavors.
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Toss in the dressing and toppings gently to avoid bruising the lettuce.
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Serve immediately before the lettuce wilts and the croutons get soggy.
The Popularity of Chicken Caesar Salad
It’s easy to see why the chicken Caesar salad has remained so popular through the years. The balance of flavors and textures is hard to beat. There’s something supremely satisfying about the crunchy lettuce and croutons, savory Parmesan and bacon, juicy chicken, and rich, tangy dressing all coming together in each bite.
This salad works just as well for a quick weeknight dinner as it does for a dinner party. It provides a lighter, healthier alternative to heavy pasta or protein-focused dishes. And it can be adapted in endless ways while still retaining its classic appeal.
So next time you see a chicken Caesar salad on a menu or are pondering what to make for dinner, remember just how good this iconic salad can be. When made with high-quality ingredients and the proper technique, the chicken Caesar salad is a reliable crowd-pleaser and forever a fixture of American culinary culture.
Wondering if Caesar salad is healthy? Yes…and no!
Now, before we go any further, I want to clear up any confusion you may have about whether or not this salad is healthy. Fat in the dressing and the bacon.
But you know what? Calorie content aside, at least I’m getting lots of greens into my system, right??
Or put it this way – a giant bowl of Caesar Salad might have the same calories as a creamy pasta, but it’s got a whole lot more nutrition in it!.
Just in case you’re reading all this but dreading the calorie count you’ll see when you scroll down to the recipe – DON’T WORRY! Here’s a (much) lower calorie Yogurt Caesar Salad Dressing.
It tastes the same, but it’s made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise, so it won’t feel as thick in your mouth. But still creamy, same depth of flavour – and a whole lot healthier!.
Can you even tell that this is the low fat version?? NOPE!
After cleaning all those pots and pans, you get to eat one of the best salads ever.
That fresh crisp lettuce. The crunchy garlic croutons. The salty pops of bacon. And that creamy homemade Caesar Salad Dressing.
Caesar Salad might take time to make, but it is worth every single second. Really, truly, cross my heart. – Nagi x
What goes in Caesar Salad
There’s all sorts of variations around, but the classic is made with:
- iceberg lettuce or cos lettuce (also called romaine) will do in a pinch!
- crispy bacon
- croutons – garlic croutons, at that!
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- parmesan cheese, for finishing
With the rich dressing, I find that even a “plain” Caesar salad is filling enough as it is to have as a meal. But a common addition, which you often find on the menu of bistros, is chicken and egg. Adds protein and makes it even more satisfying – so I’ve included these are optional in the recipe below!
Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad |Quick and Easy Meal #onestopchop
FAQ
What is a chicken Caesar salad made of?
A classic recipe for a reason, this chicken Caesar salad is delicious and satisfying. Crunchy romaine, creamy dressing, tender chicken, and savory cheese come together for a tasty favorite. Serve a lemon wedge with each salad if desired.
What ingredients are there in a Caesar salad?
Caesar salad, also written as Cesar, César, and Cesare, is a green salad made of romaine lettuce and croutons that is tossed with eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan, and black pepper. It can also be made with lime juice.
What to have in chicken Caesar salad?
Key Ingredients in Chicken Caesar SaladBread. Making Caesar salad definitely calls for homemade croutons, and sourdough bread or ciabatta are both great options. Oil-packed anchovies. You’ll use the entirety of a two-ounce tin. Boneless, skinless chicken breast. Lemons. Parmesan cheese. Olive oil. Romaine lettuce.
Is a chicken Caesar salad actually healthy?
Grilled chicken and salad are healthy. Caesar dressing is not. Quite the opposite. Very full of fat and salt. Choose a different dressing if you can. Or if you must have caesar, use as little as possible, and buy a low-fat brand.