This Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Croutons has the perfect creamy, slightly garlicky Caesar dressing drizzled over crisp romaine. Make this for a light dinner or even meal prep for lunch!
I love salads and some of my favorite go-to dinner salads are this Taco Salad, Sante Fe Salad and of course this delicious Chicken Caesar Salad.

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Why You'll Love This Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Croutons Recipe!
I love a Chicken Caesar Salad when it is done right. This means homemade Caesar dressing and freshly baked homemade croutons with juicy pan seared chicken breast. Now if you are short on time, you can skip one or two of the steps and go with store bought. It will still taste good, however I think you will be surprised at how easy this salad comes together and even more pleased with how delicious it is!
- Make Ahead Friendly- Make the dressing, croutons and chicken ahead and keep in separate containers before assembling.
- Perfect For Lunch Or Dinner- This is a great light lunch or dinner that is packed with flavor and lots of protein.
Equipment Needed
rimmed baking sheet
large skillet
large bowl
knife
whisk
grater
Key Ingredients
romaine- crisp romaine is what is commonly used in a Caesar salad.
parmesan cheese- use the best quality fresh parmesan for the salad. I like to use a vegetable peeler to shave large pieces into the salad, but you can also grate the cheese if you prefer.
croutons- crunchy croutons are a must in a Caesar salad. You can save a step and buy store-bought, however these Homemade Garlic Croutons are so easy and can bake while prepping the other ingredients!
Caesar Dressing- this Easy Caesar Salad Dressing comes together in just 10 minutes and is so much better than store bought.
Chicken- boneless skinless chicken breast cook quickly and add a great source of protein. Save a step and use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
Seasonings- this blend of seasoning for the chicken gives a great flavor when pan seared.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Cut your bread into bite-sized cubes and add to a large bowl. Drizzle with melted butter, ½ of the olive oil and seasonings while stirring to coat as evenly as possible.
Spread the bread cubes on a baking tray and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and stir to coat. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring at the halfway point. The croutons will be golden brown when finished. These can be added to a salad as soon as they cool off or stored for up to 2 weeks. Here are all of the detailed instructions on these Homemade Garlic Croutons.
While the croutons are in the oven you can prepare the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with the seasoning over both sides of the chicken and rub to completely cover.
Add the olive oil to the skillet, and once the oil is hot add the chicken breast. Cook on the first side for 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and it reaches 165° F with a meat thermometer. Set aside to cool before slicing for the salad.
While the chicken is cooling you can make the Caesar dressing. Add the ingredients to a bowl and use a whisk to combine. The dressing can be made ahead and lasts for about a week in the fridge. Check out all of my tips on this Creamy Caesar Dressing.
Now that all of the components for the salad are ready you can make the salad. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and use spoons to toss so that everything is well coated in the dressing.
Divide the salad into four dinner bowls and serve immediately. If meal planning, check out the make ahead section for tips on making this salad ahead so that it stays fresh and crisp.
Storage
If storing leftovers, the salad will not be as crisp if already tossed with the dressing. If you want to plan for leftovers or to make ahead for later in the week read through the make ahead tips.
Make Ahead
This is the perfect salad to make ahead for either lunch or dinner during the work week.
Croutons- can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and will stay crispy when stored in an airtight container. Make sure to cool the croutons completely before storing.
Caesar Dressing- this dressing can be made a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chicken- the chicken can be cooked ahead and stored after it has completely cooled in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Assembling For Later- to keep the romaine crisp and the croutons from getting soggy, I like to keep all of the components in separate airtight containers and combine when ready to eat. You can always put the parmesan cheese with the romaine and separate the remaining ingredients in other containers.
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Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Croutons
Ingredients
Homemade Croutons
- 1 pound good quality bread, sourdough, Italian or French
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Chicken
- 4 5 ounce boneless skinless, chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (very fine)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Salad
- 2 large heads romaine, cut into bite sized pieces
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
Instructions
Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Cut the bread into bite sized pieces and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Melt butter and drizzle over the bread cubes while stirring. Drizzle half of the olive oil over the bread. Sprinkle with the seasonings and toss well to coat the bread cubes.
- Spread the bread cubes over a rimmed baking tray and drizzle the cubes and drizzle the bread cubes with the addition olive oil to make sure they are well coated.
- Place the bread cubes in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until bread is toasted, stirring halfway through. Cool completely before storing.
Chicken
- While croutons are baking, heat a skillet over medium high heat with tablespoon of olive oil. Rub chicken breast with spice mixture and place in the hot skillet. Cook the chicken breast on each side for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and reaches 165° F. Set chicken aside to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Dressing And Salad
- Meanwhile mix together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Add the chopped romaine to a serving bowl with the shaved parmesan cheese. Toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing ( the recipe may make more than you need so judge how much you like and save the rest).
- Sprinkle with croutons and top the salad with sliced cooked chicken.
- Serve immediately or for meal prep store components separately. *See notes.
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