Ultimate Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons Delight
This Chicken Caesar Salad combines juicy grilled chicken, crisp romaine, and homemade croutons for a satisfying meal that's perfect for any occasion.
Equipment
- - Oven
- - Grill
- - Mixing bowl
- - Baking sheet
- Whisk
- Ziploc Bag
Ingredients
Croutons
- 4 cups ciabatta bread cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil For crouton coating
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cloves garlic Grated
- to taste kosher salt
- to taste freshly ground black pepper
Chicken
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil For marinating
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- to taste salt kosher salt
- to taste pepper freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce Roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan For topping
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 400°F for croutons.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread ciabatta bread cubes on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil mixture. Bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper for the chicken marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in a Ziploc bag or bowl for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the marinated chicken until fully cooked, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let it cool before dicing.
- In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until creamy.
- In a large bowl, toss together romaine, diced chicken, and croutons. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with additional Parmesan.
Notes
For an extra crunch, consider adding toasted pine nuts on top.