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Truly THE BEST EVER. With crispy, seasoned croutons, grilled chicken and a simple dressing!
This crispy-fresh Caesar salad with homemade crunchy croutons and perfectly juicy rotisserie chicken (hello spring!) got me through the past few weeks. For starters, it’s finite beginning to warm up, to use a grill. But when it snows in Chicago in mid-April, I’ll toss this chicken breast on a griddle.
Store-bought croutons or dressing can of course be used here, but we all know that the store-bought version just doesn’t compare. No, nothing quite compares to these freshly baked, lightly garlicky croutons, and the homemade dressing is spot on — not too rich, not too creamy. It really is spot on.
I’ll also point out that there’s no egg yolk or anchovies (although you can of course add those to your liking if you’d like). As for the chicken, if white meat isn’t your thing, thighs can easily be substituted. And you can prepare everything ahead of time, making this a very quick weeknight meal on those super busy, hectic nights.
for the croutons
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 clove Garlic, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste good
- 4 cups Ciabatta bread cubes
for the chicken
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon Lemon peel
- 1 clove Garlic, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste good
- 1½ Pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
for the dressing
- ¼ Cup mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 clove Garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcester sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste good
For the salad
- 2 heads roman woman, roughly chopped
- ¼ Cup freshly grated Parmesan
for the croutons
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, parsley, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
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Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Stir in the olive oil mixture and mix gently. Place in the oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 13-15 minutes; put aside.
for the chicken
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In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
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In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine the chicken and olive oil mixture; Marinate for at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
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Preheat grill to medium heat.
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Add the chicken to the broiler and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let cool before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
for the dressing
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper.