Chicken Caesar Salad

This content originally appeared here. Republished with permission.

Looking for the perfect healthy salad recipe? Then you’ve got to make this healthy chicken caesar salad recipe! Crunchy romaine lettuce, crispy crumbled bacon, tangy homemade Caesar dressing, fresh summer tomatoes, soft boiled eggs, nutritional yeast, and cracked black pepper. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe

I’ve always, always been obsessed with Caesar Salad. The crunchy croutons, the parmesan cheese, the tangy caesar dressing… there’s so much to love!

And lately I’ve been craving a healthier version of the classic Caesar salad I always loved — one that tastes amazing but doesn’t make me feel like junk. And I wanted it be packed with delicious, hearty, ingredients like bacon, grilled chicken breast, and more.

So I challenged myself to make a healthy caesar salad. One that would fall under whole30 requirements and encourage healthy eating habits. Once I figured out the hard part and made a healthy caesar dressing, I started working on the chicken.

I created the most delicious tangy and savory marinade for the chicken and once I grilled it, sliced it, and paired it with my healthy traditional caesar salad dressing I knew I had created a winning dish.

Every single thing in this original recipe, from the chicken marinade to the light caesar dressing, is made from scratch. This is the best way to ensure you are making food that is safe for dietary restrictions or health concerns.

Not to mention, homemade ingredients taste so much better. Seriously, if you compare homemade dressing to a store-bought caesar dressing you’d never buy from the grocery store again! This healthy version of a popular dish is not too good to be true. I really have found the best way to make caesar salad healthy, and you’re going to love it!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Prep a big batch of chicken and dressing and then have multiple servings of a healthy chicken caesar salad during the week!
• A large chicken caesar salad is packed full of protein, healthy fats, and other nutritious foods. You’ll get a wide variety of necessary nutrients for a healthy diet.
• Serve up this salad as a side dish or a main dish! It’s perfect for both.

Ingredients

This chicken caesar salad recipe only needs simple ingredients! Here’s a list of everything you’ll need:

Salad Ingredients:

• lettuce
• boneless skinless chicken breasts
• hard boiled eggs
• tomatoes
• nutritional yeast

Marinade Ingredients:

• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• salt

Caesar Dressing Ingredients:

• mayonnaise
• garlic
• lemon juice
• nutritional yeast
• anchovies
• mustard
• coconut aminos
• apple cider vinegar
• salt & pepper

Substitutions and Variations

Here’s a list of Whole30 compliant store-bought mayos if you don’t want to use homemade mayonnaise in your caesar dressing. If you are not following whole30, feel free to use any mayo you want.

If you don’t have balsamic vinegar on hand, just use apple cider vinegar in the marinade for the chicken recipe and the homemade dressing. You can other types of vinegar as well, so just grab whatever you have in your pantry!

Nutritional yeast is used as a whole30 compliant topping for a healthier caesar salad. However, you can absolutely use real cheese (like parmesan cheese!) if you prefer.

Traditional chicken caesar salad is most often made with romaine lettuce leaves. Feel free to add some kale, spinach, or other leafy greens into the mix.

You can substitute anchovy paste if you’d like, but I prefer canned anchovies in oil.

How to Make Chicken Caesar Salad

Ready to make healthier version of this famous salad? Here is a step-by-step guide telling you all you need to know:

Prepare the Chicken Breasts

Place a chicken breast into a large plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment paper in order to thin it out. Then use a meat tenderizer or heavy rolling pin and gently pound the chicken until it is an even thickness.

Repeat for all of the chicken breasts you plan to grill.

Next, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl and pour it over all of the chicken. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to an hour.

Then turn on your grill and allow it to preheat to a medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the breast. Be sure to flip the chicken halfway through the grilling process.

Once grilled, remove from heat and allow the chicken to rest before slicing and placing on top of the salad leaves.

Prepare the Salad Toppings

Thoroughly wash the romaine lettuce, dry it and then chop it well. Then cook bacon however you’d like and chop or crumble it as a crunchy topping for the salad.

Boil eggs or pop them into the air fryer and cook to your desired doneness. Slice hard boiled eggs into the halve or quarters and set aside.

Make the Caesar Salad Dressing

Add all dressing ingredients into a bowl and blend with an immersion blender until you have a smooth and creamy dressing. You can also add everything to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

If you do not have a way to blend the dressing, finely chop the garlic and anchovies and then whisk ingredients together in a bowl.

Season the healthy caesar dressing with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Assemble the Salad

First, divide the lettuce among four large bowls.

Then, top each bowl with nutritional yeast (or cheese), homemade dressing, freshly grilled and sliced chicken, eggs, and bacon.

Lastly, sprinkle each salad with extra cracked black pepper and enjoy!

How to Store Leftover Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad

For best results, store separate salad ingredients in different containers. You could also use large meal prep containers that have divided compartments!

Grilled chicken store in an airtight container will last for 4-5 days in the fridge, or up to three months in the freezer. Place leftover lettuce into an airtight container or plastic bag with a few paper towels. Store in the coldest part of your fridge for about a week.

The salad toppings like bacon, eggs, and tomatoes can all be stored in containers or plastic zip top bags. Then store each in the fridge for up to a week.

Last but not least, store leftover dressing in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 5 days. Give it a good shake to mix up the ingredients before using.

Tips for Success

• Wash the lettuce for this healthy chicken caesar salad in cold water to keep it crispy. Then dry it quickly by using a salad spinner!
• If you don’t have a grill, then you can cook the chicken in a large skillet with a little avocado oil or olive oil. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken and ensure it reaches 165° Fahrenheit.
• This recipe calls for the use of tomatoes, bacon, and hard boiled eggs as toppings. However, feel free to add any of your other favorite salad toppings!

FAQ

Do I have to marinate my chicken?

I always recommend marinating chicken breasts for at least 30 minutes to an hour. You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but I find un-marinated chicken breasts to be bit blah in the flavor department without it. This easy marinade infuses tasty flavor! So if time allows, you should definitely marinate your chicken.

Are anchovies really in Caesar Salad Dressing?

Most of the time, yes. However, there are some recipes and store-bought dressings that do not contain anchovies. Not everybody loves the idea at first, but anchovies are so important to giving a little extra flavor to your traditional caesar dressing. You’ll find if a recipe calls for Worcestershire sauce, anchovies are often not included. However, since anchovies are Whole30 compliant and Worcestershire sauce is not, use anchovies if you are following those dietary restrictions.

More Healthy Recipes

• Asian Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing
• Chipotle Copycat Barbacoa Salad Bowls
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh
• Broccoli & Bacon Salad
• Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

Print

Chicken Caesar Salad

Whole30, Paleo, Gluten Free, Low Carb

Course Dinner, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 631kcal

Equipment

• Indoor or outdoor grill

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken Breasts

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoons salt

Whole30 Caesar Dressing

• 2/3 cup mayo
• 4 anchovies in oil
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 2.5 Tablespoon lemon juice about 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoons coconut aminos
• 1/4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoons pepper

Salad & Toppings

• 8 cups romaine lettuce
• 4 eggs soft or hard boiled
• 8 ounces sugar free bacon cooked
• 1 teaspoons nutritional yeast

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken Breasts

• Put one chicken breast inside a ziplock bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Gently pound the chicken using a meat tenderizer or heavy rolling pin until it’s even in thickness. Repeat for the other chicken breasts.
• Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour it over the chicken, turning to coat. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.
• Turn your grill to medium and allow to preheat. Add the chicken breasts to the grill, cooking for about 12 minutes, turning once. Remove from the heat and let the chicken rest before slicing.

Prepare the Salad Toppings

• Wash and chop the lettuce. Cook the bacon and allow it to cool, then roughtly chop it. Boil the eggs however you like them and slice them into halves or quarters.

Make the Caesar Salad Dressing

• Using an immersion blender set to low, mix together all the ingredients OR smash the garlic clove and finely chop the anchovies, then whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Assemble the Salad

• Divide the lettuce among four large bowls. Top each bowl with nutritional yeast, salad dressing, chicken, eggs, and bacon. Sprinkle each salad with cracked black pepper and enjoy!

Notes

*For a low carb / keto option, simply omit the tomatoes.

Nutrition

Sodium: 1461mg | Calcium: 76mg | Vitamin C: 9mg | Vitamin A: 8506IU | Sugar: 4g | Fiber: 3g | Potassium: 962mg | Cholesterol: 283mg | Calories: 631kcal | Saturated Fat: 12g | Protein: 42g | Carbohydrates: 12g | Iron: 3mg

Please note that the nutritional information may vary depending
on the specific brands of products used. We encourage everyone to check specific
product labels in calculating the exact nutritional information.

healthy eating
dietary