I have several versions of Caesar Salad on the blog, including one buried so far back in the archives, I even forgot about it. But somehow, my favorite of all favorites hasn’t been on the blog until now! While I know using the word ‘best’ seems like a bit or a reach, I think I can explain. So just to clarify, this is the ‘best chicken caesar salad I’ve ever made or eaten anywhere ever’. And since everyone else I know loves it too, I figured you wouldn’t mind if I told you it was the ‘best’. My husband loves Caesar Salad even more than I do. And sometimes where we go out to dinner is entirely based off whether or not they have Caesar Salad on the menu. But after years of taste testing so many Caesar Salads, he’s kinda given up because most of the time they’re a disappointment. And even in the best case scenario where he actually likes it, when I ask him how his salad is he’ll say, ‘it’s alright, but not nearly as good as yours’. Talk about a great compliment right!?! So when it comes to Caesar Salad, we just eat it at home now. And it’s become our favorite ‘at home date night’ dinners. We both know exactly what our tasks are when we make this together. And we’ve made it so often, we don’t have to refer to a recipe. That way we can make it almost without having to think at all. And so we’re free to chat, catch up, and just generally enjoy some time together.
Now let’s make The Best Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad step by step!
And since pine nuts now cost and arm and leg, here are some other crunchy options:
And now on to the dressing, aka ‘the best part’. This isn’t the most traditional dressing out there. But I think you’ll be won over by it’s incredible creaminess and depth of flavor. It comes together quickly in the blender. The only tip I have here to make it fool proof, is to make sure you don’t put the salt or lemon juice into the blender, (touching the egg) until you know you’re ready to blend within 5 minutes. The reason for this is that both salt and lemon juice will break down the egg. And when that happens the dressing won’t be as thick and creamy. Or in the worst case scenario it won’t emulsify if they sit together too long before blending in the olive oil. Romaine is always a the best and classic choice for a Caesar. But if you want to mix things up a bit, go ahead and grill your romaine for another fun variation. For the grilled chicken, we alternate between chicken breasts and chicken thighs because we love both. In the most bitter of winter days, you’ll find us roasting a chicken instead of grilling. And I have a great recipe for Herb Roasted Chicken that’s wonderful with Caesar Salad if grilling isn’t your thing. But we definitely prefer the flavor of grilled chicken. And you’ll find me outside grilling at -20ºF with a smile on my face knowing good things are coming to the table soon! I like to add a grilled lemon for garnish. But it also adds a more subtle lemon juice squeeze over the top of the finished salad. With almost constant recipe testing, we don’t get to repeat a lot of things. But I hope you enjoy the recipe I make the most in my kitchen. Since I never follow a recipe when I make this, I made sure to test it 4 times last week. And weirdly enough I’d love to have it again for dinner tonight!
More dinner salad recipes!
Paleo Crispy Buffalo Chicken SaladSweet Chili Chicken and Mango SaladGrilled Chicken Shawarma Salad with Tahini DressingBLAT Salad with Avocado Ranch DressingGuacamole Salad with Chipotle ChickenFully Loaded Taco Salad with Salsa DressingCaprese Salad with Grilled Chicken and Pesto DressingGrilled Teriyaki Chicken Salad
I really hope you enjoy this Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad! And if you do get a chance to make this, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! Also for more dinner salad recipes, head on over to the recipe index. 5 from 2 reviews 2 heads of romaine lettuce, 2 pounds 10 ounces 1 pkg boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, 1 1/2 pounds 3/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Dressing: 1 farm fresh egg 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 cup extra virgin olive oil While the grill heats, place a 9″ cast iron skillet over low or medium-low heat and toast the pine nuts until they’re golden brown, shaking the pan every few minutes to rotate them, about 15-20 minutes total. When the grill is preheated, place the chicken breasts or thighs on the grill, and immediately lower the heat to medium-high, maintaining a temperature of 400º-450ºF. Chicken breasts will take 8-12 minutes per side and chicken thighs are usually 8-10 minutes, and then an additional 6-8 minutes after they’ve been flipped. The timing will vary a little every time depending on the thickness of the meat. If you’re unsure, you can always cut 1 piece of meat in half to check and see if it’s no longer pink in the center. While the chicken is grilling, cut the lettuce into bite sized pieces, and use a salad spinner to wash and dry it. Place it in a large salad bowl and set aside. When the chicken is done, remove it from the grill onto a plate to cool while you make the dressing. To make the dressing, add everything but the olive oil to a blender in the order listed. It’s always best to crack the egg into a small bowl to check for bits of shell before adding it to the blender. Secure the lid and begin blending on a low speed just to combine. Turn the speed up to 2-3 on a Vitamix and begin adding the olive oil in a slow steady stream. When half of the oil has been added, increase the speed again to 4-5 and continue adding the oil slowly. When all the oil has been added, increase the speed again to 6-7 for about 15 seconds or until the dressing becomes thick and creamy. To serve, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and add it the romaine along with the pine nuts, parmesan, and the dressing. Toss to combine and serve immediately for best flavor. We always have leftovers with just the 2 of us, and we take them for lunch the next day. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still pretty good. Pre-done ingredients like already grated cheese, bottled lemon juice, and jarred minced garlic while nice and convenient don’t taste very good in this recipe.
