Chicken Caesar Salad Garlic Croutons (Printable)
Grilled chicken and crisp romaine tossed with parmesan shavings and homemade garlic croutons in creamy dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ For the Garlic Croutons
05 - 3 cups day-old baguette or country bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ For the Caesar Dressing
10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced
12 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
16 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For the Salad
18 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
19 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
03 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, and salt until evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, anchovy fillets, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine romaine lettuce, most of the croutons, and sliced chicken. Drizzle with Caesar dressing and toss gently to coat.
06 - Top with shaved Parmesan, remaining croutons, and extra black pepper. Serve immediately.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The croutons stay crunchy for hours because you make them yourself, not soggy store-bought regrets.
- Homemade dressing tastes like actual Caesar, not bottled approximation, and you control how garlicky it gets.
- Grilled chicken brings char and juice that transforms a salad into something you'd order at a restaurant.
02 -
- Don't dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving, or the romaine starts releasing water and everything gets soggy instead of fresh.
- If you skip the anchovies entirely, add an extra half-teaspoon of salt and a squeeze more Worcestershire—the dressing will taste flat without that umami anchor.
03 -
- Chill your salad bowl beforehand if you have time; it keeps everything cool and prevents the greens from wilting from residual heat.
- If your dressing breaks or looks separated, whisk in a tablespoon of ice water at a time until it emulsifies back together.