Grilled Caesar Salad
This Grilled Caesar Salad recipe is guaranteed to be the surprise hit of summer! Whether you prepare the salad for a backyard bbq or top it with grilled chicken for a weeknight meal, this grilled romaine caesar salad is incredibly flavorful and easy to make in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Toasted Breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning, click link for the recipe
Caesar Salad
- 3 hearts romaine lettuce
- olive oil cooking spray
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup caesar salad dressing
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Grilled Chicken (optional addition)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , sliced in half lengthwise through the middle
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, click link for the recipe (or use Italian seasoning)
Instructions
- Preheat a grill over medium-high heat, between 400-450°F.
Toast the breadcrumbs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet on the stove over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add ¼ cup breadcrumbs, toss until they're fully coated in the oil, then toast for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning and toast for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Prepare the salad.
- Slice ¼ inch off the stem ends of each of the romaine hearts, then slice each romaine heart in half lengthwise. Spray the cut side of the lettuce with olive oil cooking spray, then season with salt and pepper.
- Place the romaine, cut side down, on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. Do not move or flip the romaine while it's on the grill.
- Remove the lettuce from the grill and onto a large serving platter, with the cut, grilled side facing up.
- Drizzle salad dressing over the lettuce, top with parmesan cheese, black pepper, and toasted breadcrumbs.
Add grilled chicken (optional).
- If you want to add grilled chicken to the salad, follow the steps below before grilling the lettuce for the salad.
- Slice one large chicken breast in half, lengthwise through the middle. Rub the two pieces of chicken with olive oil, then coat all sides in the cajun seasoning.
- Place the seasoned chicken directly on the the hot grill. Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest on a cutting board while grilling the romaine lettuce.
- Thinly slice the chicken and add it on top of the salad before serving.
Notes
- This salad will serve 6 people as a side dish, or 2-3 people as a meal.
- The nutrition information provided is an estimate for one serving (one grilled romaine heart) without the grilled chicken topping.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can still make this salad on the stove. Use a grill pan, griddle, or cast iron skillet, if you have one available. If not, use the heaviest skillet you have. Heat the skillet on the stove over medium high heat, add the romaine lettuce, cut side down and cook for 4-5 minutes. If using a skillet, you’ll have to do this in 2 or 3 batches.
- To make this grilled caesar salad gluten free, replace the traditional panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. The Litehouse caesar dressing I used in this recipe is already gluten-free.
- To make this salad vegetarian, do not add the optional grilled chicken, and use this recipe for cashew caesar dressing. Using this salad dressing and omitting the parmesan cheese will also make this recipe dairy-free.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 157kcal (8%)Carbohydrates 4g (1%)Protein 2g (4%)Fat 15g (23%)Saturated Fat 3g (15%)Polyunsaturated Fat 7gMonounsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 11mg (4%)Sodium 522mg (22%)Potassium 31mg (1%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 96mg (2%)Vitamin C 0.1mgCalcium 60mg (6%)Iron 1mg (6%)
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