Chicken Caesar Salad Avocado (Print version)

Grilled chicken, creamy avocado, crisp romaine, and tangy Caesar dressing come together in a fresh, vibrant dish.

# What you need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
05 - 2 ripe avocados, sliced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 cup croutons (use gluten-free if needed)

→ Caesar Dressing

09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
12 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 anchovy fillets, minced (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, anchovies, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
04 - In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with half the dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Arrange dressed romaine on plates or a serving platter. Top with sliced chicken, avocado, cherry tomatoes if using, croutons, and extra Parmesan.
06 - Drizzle remaining dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The homemade Caesar dressing tastes nothing like bottled, with a depth that comes from fresh garlic and anchovies.
  • Grilled chicken stays juicy when you let it rest, and the char adds flavor that pairs perfectly with creamy avocado.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but feels like you spent all afternoon on it.
02 -
  • Overcrowding the grill will cool it down and steam your chicken instead of grilling it, work in batches if you need to.
  • The dressing is better the next day after flavors meld, but the salad assembly really does need to happen fresh.
  • Anchovies dissolve completely and don't make it fishy, they just make it taste more Caesar than you thought possible.
03 -
  • If your avocado is firm, slice it thinner and it'll yield to the dressing better than huge chunks.
  • Don't waste the chicken resting time, that's when you should be whisking your dressing so everything finishes together.

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