Learn how to make this lightened up version of the all-time favorite Chicken Caesar Salad with crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, cooked chicken, and a creamy dressing in 15 minutes from a dietitian!
When our oldest daughter outgrew kids' menus at restaurants, the infamous Chicken Caesar salad became her absolute favorite and new 'go to' dinner. Salad sounds great, right?
Well, it started to drive me a crazy because we were spending over ten dollars for a salad that is made with the simplest of ingredients and is traditionally known to be high in sodium and saturated fat.
So, you know I just had to figure out how to make a delicious chicken Caesar salad from scratch that she would love. And this is it! Be sure to read the whole post for variations and to catch all of my time-saving tips. I can't wait for you to try it!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
What's not to love about a chicken Caesar salad recipe made with a mix of salad greens, garlicky croutons, and a delicious dressing? This is a delicious recipe served as a main dish that your whole family will love!
- Easy Recipe If you use leftover chicken, pre-shredded parmesan, and pre-washed and shredded romaine lettuce and kale, this recipe will be super easy. If you like to make your own of everything, I'd still consider it easy, but it will take longer.
- Kid-Approved Most kids prefer the texture of romaine to kale which is why there is proportionately more romaine lettuce compared to kale in this recipe. Afterall, Caesar salad isn't really a 'Caesar salad' without romaine lettuce. 😉
- 'Healthy' Recipe I usually don't like to use the word 'healthy' to describe food because it can mean something different for everyone. However, because my homemade yogurt-based Caesar dressing uses Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and is not made with raw egg yolks, there is less saturated fat and more the protein than most recipes. Plus, the chia seeds in the dressing add fiber and healthy fats. For these reasons, I'd consider this a healthy option (or at least a 'healthier' option) for most people.
- Meal Prep Kale can be chopped, and the dressing can be made ahead of time. Just be sure to store the dressing in a separate container.
- On the Go To pack this in a lunchbox, pour the dressing into its own small airtight container so your kids can add it right before eating the salad. Another option is to mix the salad with dressing right before they go to school. The kale helps the salad maintain a nice texture after it is mixed with dressing.
Dietitian Tip
It's important to consider what foods your kids like when planning meals. Of course, we can't always accommodate every request, but we can try to provide options to help our kids feel like they have a say in what they are being served.
Salad dressings are the perfect example of this. Offering various dressing options is an easy way to please your kids without adding more work for yourself.
So, when you make this Caesar salad knowing that one of your kids doesn't like Caesar dressing, try portioning out their serving and offering a different dressing, like mango or strawberry dressing instead.
Recipe Variations
- Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad Use crispy chicken to top your salad. Simply, crisp up breaded chicken tenders in your air fryer or oven (follow package instructions) and cut them into strips.
- Fancy Chicken Caesar Salad Top the Caesar salad with a few whole anchovies or use grilled romaine hearts sliced in half lengthwise as the salad base. I was first served a Chicken Caesar Salad with whole anchovies when I worked at a 5-star restaurant in Laguna Beach, California one summer. I was skeptical at first but ended up enjoying it very much!
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Use leftover grilled chicken that has a simple seasoning instead of plain chicken for more flavor.
- Without Chicken Use salmon or hard-boiled egg instead of chicken. They taste great in Caesar salads.
Ingredient Notes
- Romaine lettuce Caesar Salad isn't Caesar Salad without some good 'ol romaine lettuce! Use pre-washed, chopped romaine lettuce or chop your own pre-washed romaine hearts.
- Kale Either curly or Tuscan (also known as lacinato or dinosaur kale) can be used. I use small pieces of curly kale because the color and texture blend in with romaine lettuce better. Kale is high in fiber, and it contains several vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
- Chicken Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs to make this recipe. I meal prep my easy shredded chicken and Dutch oven chicken recipes so I can add chicken to salads even when I'm short on time. I've also used pre-cooked, ready to eat chicken from Trader Joe's. Chicken is a good source of protein.
- Croutons Use store bought or homemade croutons. I prefer to use homemade garlic croutons when I make caesar salad.
- Parmesan Cheese A little goes a long way. You can use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese instead for more depth of flavor.
- Caesar Salad Dressing Use a homemade caesar dressing to make this salad. It seems that most homemade Caesar dressings are made with anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. The rest of the ingredients vary greatly depending on the recipe. If you are short on time or don't have all of the ingredients to make your own dressing, use store bought dressing.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Salad
Here’s a quick overview of the steps to make this Chicken Caesar Salad recipe. For the full list of ingredients and complete instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Add chopped kale, romaine lettuce, and dressing to a large mixing bowl. *If you are making your own dressing, do that first.
- Use tongs to toss the salad and dressing. Make sure the dressing coats most of the salad greens.
- Use tongs to toss in the chicken and half of the parmesan cheese.
- Top with croutons and the rest of the shredded parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Buying pre-packaged pre-washed romaine lettuce and kale will save time.
- Buying romaine hearts and one bunch of kale to wash and chop yourself will cost less but will take a little time to prepare.
- If you want to use a head of romaine lettuce, remove the outer leaves first. The inner leaves, also known as the heart of romaine, are what is used to make Ceasar salad. In my opinion, the outer leaves are more bitter. Let's just say that every time I use the outer leaves of romaine to make this salad, my kids notice.
- If you are using Tuscan kale for this recipe, I suggest squeezing a very small amount of fresh lemon juice over the kale to help it soften.
- Leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken pieces can be used in place of plain shredded chicken.
- Spinach can be used in place of kale. Just keep in mind that spinach will be more noticeable in this recipe, and it has a different texture.
Questions You May Have
Parts of it can be! The dressing, chicken, and croutons can all be made ahead of time and stored separately. The lettuce can be washed and rinsed well and stored separately as well. However, the romaine lettuce you wash yourself will not last long.
Cooking chicken for Caesar salad on the stove is easy. Chicken tenders or thin sliced chicken breast will cook faster and more evenly.
Heat a large skillet with a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with a pinch or two of sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder and add it to the pan.
Cook the chicken for a few minutes on each side, until it's golden brown and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful not to overcook the chicken (overcooked chicken will be chewy).
This is a very commonly asked question. To estimate how many calories are in my version of a Chicken Caesar Salad, click 'nutrition facts' below.
Just remember, that whenever you are evaluating the Calore content of a recipe, it's not so much the Calories that should be focused on, but rather the source of calories. For example: saturated fat vs unsaturated fat, the amount of protein, fiber, and added sugars.
More Easy Recipes
Did your kids love this homemade Chicken Caesar Salad? Please let me know by leaving a 5-star rating and comment to let me know!
Don't forget to snap a pic of their incredible salad and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram so I can see it. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups romaine lettuce Torn into pieces. ends removed. About two hearts of romaine.
- 2 cups kale Ribs removed and torn or cut into pieces.
- 1 ½ cups chicken breast Shredded or cut into pieces.
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese I use Parmigiano Reggiano grated cheese that you can find at Costo.
- ½ cup croutons Use store bought or homemade.
Kid-Favorite Healthy Homemade Caesar Dressing (No Mayo)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt Low fat, plain Greek yogurt.
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice Fresh squeezed.
- ½ tsp chia seeds
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 garlic clove small
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated or shredded
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp anchovy paste see notes
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper one to two pinches
Instructions
- If you are using pre-washed lettuce and kale, skip ahead to step number 2. Tear romaine hearts into pieces and place into a large bowl. To prepare the kale, remove the thick middle rib and either tear (if using curly kale) or use kitchen scissors (if using tuscan kale) to cut kale into pieces. Add kale pieces to the large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and use your hand to agitate the water. Use a large colander to drain the lettuce and kale. Let dry.
- If you are using store-bought dressing, skip ahead to step number 3. While the lettuce dries, make the dressing. Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and use a whisk, blender, or emersion blender to blend all ingredients together. Once dressing is mixed well, set aside. If making ahead, place in a sealed container or jar and store in the refrigerator.
- To make the salad: place the lettuce and kale mixture in the bottom of a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Use tongs to toss the salad and dressing together.
- Toss the salad mixture with chicken and parmesan cheese. Serve croutons on the side and allow kids top their own salads with them (it's their favorite part!). Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If using pre-packaged lettuce, kale, chicken, croutons, and store-bought dressing, total time will be reduced significantly.
- Save time by meal prepping! The dressing can be made ahead of time and lettuce and kale can be washed and dried ahead of time. Once washed, kale will last longer than romaine lettuce, so I suggest storing them separately.
- Croutons soften easily. This is why they should be added just before eating the salad.
- When packing in school lunches, send the croutons to school with your kids in a separate container to help keep them from getting soggy.
Leigh says
I’ve got to try this! My daughter would eat Caesar salad every day if she could!
Kristi says
My daughter would, too!