This super easy grilled chicken Caesar salad is a serious favorite. It’s substantial enough to enjoy as a main, but still feels light and fresh. Swapping regular croutons for a mixture of crispy chickpeas, parmesan crisps AND bacon adds extra protein and even more flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights, or for entertaining.
I think we’ve ALL had a disappointing Caesar salad. You know what I’m talking about – soggy lettuce swimming in watery dressing, with way too many rock-hard croutons and not enough of anything else. It’s why I’ve always been a bit wary of a Caesar salad. But done well, it’s SERIOUSLY good.
The salad has a bit of everything. It gets texture from the crunchy lettuce, crispy bacon, parmesan crisps and crispy chickpeas. Scallions bring another fresh element, and that dressing is PACKED with umami flavor. It’s hard not to eat it with a spoon!
A classic Caesar salad includes crispy croutons, but I’m replacing them with crispy chickpeas and parmesan shards. They bring the crunchy element that croutons provide in the original, plus a lot of lovely savory flavor (and an extra hit of protein). I love adding grilled chicken thighs to make the salad more of a meal. They’re juicy, and when paired with a simple lemon, garlic and herb marinade, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
MAKE IT VEGETARIAN: Swap the crispy bacon for crispy chickpeas (toss a can of drained chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika then bake on a lined oven tray for about 20 minutes at 400F/200C) and add grilled halloumi or tofu slices rather than the chicken.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs. I prefer to use thighs because they’re juicier than chicken breast, but you can use breasts if you like. You can also use leftover roast chicken, cooked shredded chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken and use that! Always go free-range. I’m marinating them with lemon juice, dried thyme, garlic and smoked paprika (optional but lovely).
- Romaine (cos) lettuce. This super sturdy, crunchy lettuce is best for this salad. You want something with a good amount of crunch, so if you can’t find it, you could use baby gem or iceberg.
- Parmesan cheese. Try to grate the parmesan yourself – the pre-grated stuff is coated in an anti-caking agent which impacts the texture. Plus, it’s often a lot cheaper to buy it by the block. You could also use Grana Padano or even Manchego.
- Bacon. Streaky bacon is best for the crispiest result.
- The dressing. You’ll need aioli (try this easy egg-free aioli), white miso paste, Dijon mustard, parmesan, fish sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. A classic Caesar salad uses anchovies, but because fish sauce has anchovies in it, I skip it and it’s easier and quicker to make without having to chop them up finely.
- Chickpeas. They’re not pictured, but adding crispy chickpeas into the salad helps to up the protein, and provides a lovely crunchy element, in place of regular croutons.
How to make it
Start by mixing your chicken marinade ingredients, then add the chicken and toss to coat. You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance to get ahead if you like.
Spoon your grated parmesan into little piles on an oven tray, then bake until lovely and crispy, along with the chickpeas and their seasoning. While they’re in the oven, cook your bacon until super crispy.
Mix your Caesar dressing and set it aside while you prep the rest of the salad ingredients. I like to shred the lettuce so it’s easier to eat, but you can chop it into larger pieces if you like.
Cook your chicken with a little oil over medium heat until lovely and golden brown. Try not to move it around in the pan – you want those lovely charred spots!
Remove from the heat and let rest for a couple of minutes. Add three-quarters of the dressing to the salad in the bowl, and give everything a really good toss to combine. You want the dressing to coat the salad well, so don’t be afraid to really mix it through.
Slice your chicken, then serve on top with more crispy chickpeas and parmesan crisps. PRO TIP: To mix things up if I’m making this salad when entertaining, I love to make a large parmesan crisp to sit on top of the salad. It’s a fun way to present it and then crack through the crisp when you go to serve it!
Got a question?
Caesar salad often gets a bad reputation for being loaded with calories, but this version truly is good for you. It’s not swimming in the dressing and packs a protein punch with the addition of grilled chicken. It’s a great all-rounder – protein, fat, and carbs all combine to make a satisfying meal that still feels nice and light.
I like chicken thighs because they’re a lot juicier, but breasts still work. If you’re using chicken breast, either butterfly each breast (slice it in half, lengthways) or use a rolling pin to bash it into an even, flatter layer. This makes it quicker and easier to cook and reduces the chance of it drying out.
Romaine or cos lettuce is most often used, and that’s what we’ll use here. You can really use any crunchy lettuce though – baby gem or iceberg would also work well.
You can prepare all the separate elements well in advance, then just mix when you’re ready to serve. The chicken can be cooked 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the lettuce and scallions can be chopped 5 days in advance and kept in a container ready for the dressing. The dressing will last for at least 1 week stored in the fridge, and the parmesan crisps, crispy bacon and chickpeas will keep well for about a week.
Don’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve – it will make the lettuce soggy otherwise.
Watch how to make it
Like this recipe? Here are some more salads you might enjoy
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Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This super easy grilled chicken Caesar salad is a seriously flavor-packed favorite. It’s substantial enough to enjoy as a main, but still feels light and fresh. Swapping regular croutons for a mixture of crispy chickpeas, parmesan crisps AND bacon adds extra protein and even more flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights, or for entertaining.
Ingredients
For the chicken –
- 1lb/500g free-range chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Black pepper
For the salad –
- 14oz/400g can of chickpeas, drained
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 4 slices of streaky bacon
- 1 large head of Romaine lettuce (or use baby gem, or iceberg lettuce)
- 3 scallions (spring onions)
- Black pepper
- Salt
For the dressing –
- 6 tablespoons aioli (try my easy egg-free vegan garlic aioli)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste (or use more Dijon mustard)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Heat your oven to 400F/200C and line two oven trays with baking paper. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, the crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt and very good grind of black pepper to a bowl. Mix to combine, then add the chicken thighs. Turn the chicken to coat it well in the marinade, then cover and pop into the fridge for at least 30 minutes (if possible – don’t stress if you don’t have time).
- Make the crispy chickpeas. Add the drained chickpeas to one of the prepared lined oven trays. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat the chickpeas, then transfer to the oven for 15 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Make the parmesan crisps. Spoon the grated parmesan into a couple of little piles on the other prepared tray, then press down to flatten them. Pop them into the oven for 8 minutes, or until the parmesan is deeply golden. Remove the tray from the oven and leave to cool and crisp up further. PRO TIP: For extra drama, you can make one large parmesan crisp and serve it on top of the salad (then you can crack into it when you serve).
- Mix the dressing. Add the 6 tablespoons of aioli, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of miso paste, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a very good grind of black pepper to a small bowl. Use a fork to mix it well, breaking up the miso paste as you stir it through. Give it a taste and add a little salt if you think it needs it (it will depend on the saltiness of your cheese and aioli). Set aside.
- Prepare the salad. Finely slice the lettuce – you want to shred it into small pieces that can be easily picked up with a fork. Put the lettuce into a large mixing bowl. Slice the scallions finely and add them to the bowl. Break up half the parmesan crisps and add them to the bowl, along with half the crispy chickpeas.
- Cook the bacon. Add the chopped bacon to a pan over medium-high heat and cook until super crispy, about 4 minutes. Then transfer to the bowl with the other salad ingredients.
- Cook the chicken. Set a large pan or skillet over high heat (you can use the same pan you used for the bacon). Once hot, add the chicken and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Don’t be afraid to really get some good color on the chicken. Color = flavor! Once the chicken looks golden, charred and delicious, remove it from the pan and set aside on a board or plate to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing. PRO TIP: Cut into the middle of the chicken to check it’s cooked if you’re worried.
- Assemble the salad. Once the chicken is cooked, add half of the dressing to the salad in the bowl and toss to combine. Divide the salad between plates, then top with the sliced chicken and the remaining parmesan crisps and crispy chickpeas. Finish with a good grind of black pepper and an extra drizzle of dressing, then divide between plates and dig in.
Notes
PREP AHEAD: All the elements for the salad can be made in advance, then mixed when you’re ready to serve. The chicken will keep for 5 days in the fridge, as will the chopped lettuce and scallions. The dressing will be fine for at least 1 week in the fridge, along with the parmesan crisps and crispy chickpeas.
INGREDIENT NOTES: You can use chicken breast if you prefer – I like to either butterfly each breast (slice it in half, lengthways) or flatten it with a rolling pin so that it cooks quicker and reduces the chance of it drying out. You can also make the salad without the chicken.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: I love to pair it with garlic butter potatoes, loaded potato wedges, soft flatbreads or chili cheese focaccia.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: salads
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300g
- Calories: 574
- Sugar: 5.7g
- Sodium: 1547.5mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 10.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20.7g
- Fiber: 6.7g
- Protein: 40.3g
- Cholesterol: 155.9mg
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