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    Home » Recipes » Salads » Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Creamy Light Dressing

    LAST UPDATED: August 27, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: May 24, 2018 By Toni Dash 102 Comments

    Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Creamy Light Dressing

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Wooden bowl of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with light creamy dressing

    Change up your weekend grilling with this tasty Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Creamy Light Dressing. The lettuce, bread and chicken are ALL grilled to perfection.

    Wooden bowl of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with light creamy dressing

    If you’ve never grilled this classic salad you are in for a treat! 

    Everything from the romaine lettuce to the succulent boneless chicken breasts are grilled adding a delicious smoky flavor.

    There are even grilled croutons to top it off.

    It’s easy to prepare and clean up!

    No table-side preparation needed for this classic salad. It’s all going to happen on your grill!

    This recipe is packed with flavor and just as delicious when made at home as at a fancy restaurant.

    Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Light Creamy Dressing - BoulderLocavore.com

    Recipe Ingredients

    Cool, fresh, crunchy romaine lettuce.

    Easy tangy homemade dressing featuring distinct flavors of oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic and anchovies (don’t be afraid!).

    Smoked juicy boneless chicken breasts.

    Crisp-edged croutons are a perfect finishing touch. The croutons can be made with regular or gluten-free bread too.

    Grilled romaine lettuce hearts on a grill

    How to Grill Romaine Lettuce

    Grilling lettuce seems totally counter intuitive. You’d imagine it would wilt and become totally well, creepy (at least that was what I imagined).

    Grilled romaine lettuce is still crunchy and the flavor becomes deeper and smoky, actually giving the lettuce some flavor (which lighter varieties often do not have much of). 

    • Slice the head of romaine lettuce is sliced in half vertically, retaining the stem (which keeps the leaves together during grilling).
    • Brush it with an oil-herb mixture (in the recipe) and grill until grill marks appear; 1-2 minutes.
    • Flip it over and repeat! It just takes a few minutes per side.
    • Allow to rest before making the salad.

    How to Make a Lighter Caesar Dressing

    The dressing has been lightened up from the traditional classic version, still retaining the signature flavors but making it forgiving to our exposed summer waistlines.

    The dressing is packed the big flavored ingredients such as lemon, anchovy paste (a Caesar classic ingredient), vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard and more.

    To keep it creamy and slim down the fat we’ve used light sour cream. It adds tang and a wonderful texture.

    TIP SAVING TIP: The dressing may be made beforehand and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use it, or warmed at room temperature.

    Due to the sour cream it should not be left out for any duration especially in hot temperatures.

    Grilled heads of romaine lettuce on a sheet pan

    Optional Trick for Smoking the Chicken Breasts

    I have an easy smoking trick I learned when attending Barbecue University a few years ago.

    You can use a smoking box which is inexpensive but heavy duty foil works just as well.

    Place a piece of heavy foil on the back section of the grill and add grilling wood chips to it then heat the grill.

    As the grill heats the wood begins to smoke imparting more smoky flavor to the chicken breasts!

    This technique is a great way to bring some smoky flavor to any grilled foods especially when using a gas grill.

    chicken breasts grilling with wood chips

    How Long Does the Recipe Take?

    12 Minutes Grilling Time!

    The entire salad takes about 12 minutes to grill if grilling the components in serial fashion.

    The chicken is grilled first, followed by the bread and finally the lettuce.

    PRO TIP: The time can be made shorter by grilling the lettuce and bread at the same time but they need to be watched closely to not char them more than desired.

    Close up of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with parmesan cheese

    How to Make it- Step by Step:

    Don’t let the length of the recipe scare you off.

    Everything is divided into sections with easy directions and no step takes more than 5 minutes!

    • Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to fully combine and refrigerate.
    • Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness (which ensures even cooking), brush with an oil-herb mixture and grill for 3 minutes on each side (a tip for getting perfect grill marks in the recipe!)
    • Slice and butter a baguette, and grill for 30-60 seconds. Flip and grill for 30-60 seconds more.
    • Brush Romaine lettuce with olive oil-herb mixture and grill 1-2 minutes on each side then allowed to rest.
    • Chop the chicken, bread and lettuce into bite size pieces. Add to a large bowl with the dressing and shredded Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat.

    What to Serve with it

    • Grilled Spicy Salt and Pepper Shrimp Skewers
    • Easy Grilled Chicken Shish Kabobs
    • Honey-Mascarpone Ice Cream with Balsamic Ripple, Grilled Figs and Walnuts

    More Salad Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Peaches
    • Strawberry Salad + fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Mongolian Beef Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
    • Vietnamese Noodle Bowl with Lemongrass Chicken
    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Wooden bowl of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with light creamy dressing

    Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

    A fresh take on a salad classic. Grilling the romaine lettuce, bread or rolls and chicken for a Caesar Salad enhances the salad's flavor beautifully. A lightened up creamy Caesar dressing tops it all off. NOTE: The time to heat the grill is not included in the overall recipe time.
    5 from 35 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 32 minutes
    Servings: 4 large entree salads or 6 side salad servings
    Calories: 420kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the Herb Infused Olive Oil:

    • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2-3 teaspoon mixed Fresh Herbs (I used lemon thyme, oregano, chives and a bit of rosemary; use the flavors you love best), diced

    Ingredients for the Light & Creamy Caesar Dressing:

    • 1/3 cup Light Sour Cream
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
    • 2 teaspoons Anchovy Paste
    • 2 medium Garlic Cloves , minced
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
    • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper , preferably freshly ground
    • ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

    Ingredients for the Salad and grilling:

    • 1 pound boneless , skinless Chicken Breasts, usually 2 breasts per pound
    • 3 Romaine Lettuce Hearts (they are usually sold in packages of 3)
    • For Gluten-eaters: 4-6 thick slices of French Bread (baguette)
    • For Gluten-free eaters: 4 Udi’s French Dinner rolls (or equivalent gluten-free bread option)
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
    • Optional: a handful of wood to add smoke to the chicken grilling (I used apple wood) and a piece of heavy duty foil approximately 8 inches by 6 inches)

    Instructions

    • Combine the ¼ cup of olive oil and fresh herbs in a bowl. Set aside.

    Preparing the dressing:

    • Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to fully combine. Cover and set aside or refrigerate if using later.

    Grilling the Chicken:

    • Heat the grill to medium heat at 350 degrees (gas or charcoal). Clean and oil the grill. If adding smoke to the chicken follow the next step instead.
    • TO ADD SMOKE TO THE CHICKEN BREAST GRILLING (optional): Place the piece of foil at the back of the heating grill and add the wood on top of the foil. When the grill reaches 350 degrees and the wood begins to smoke, clean and oil the grill. (NOTE: use about half the amount of wood chips shown in the photo)
    • While the grill is heating, place the chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound them to an even thickness. They should be aproximately 1/2-inch thick (refer to the grill photo). This ensures even cooking.
    • Lightly brush one side of the chicken breasts with the olive oil-herb mixture. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared grill, olive oil brushed side facing the grill, for 1 ½ minutes with the grill lid closed; rotate 90 degrees and cook for another 1 ½ minutes (the rotation makes the great grill marks).
    • Lightly brush the top of the chicken breasts and flip them over on the grill. Grill 1 ½ minutes then rotate 90 degrees and cook another 1 ½ minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken breasts should register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer and any juice will run clear. Note: if using smaller chicken breast portions modify the cooking time to not overcook.
    • Remove from the grill to rest. Carefully remove the foil and wood chips if smoking.

    Grilling the Bread/Rolls:

    • If using rolls slice them lengthwise. Brush the cut side lightly with the olive oil-herb mixture and place face down on the grill. Brush the top side of the bread/rolls with the olive oil mixture while on the grill. Watch carefully and flip over as soon as grill marks appear (30 seconds to 1 minute per side). Set aside.

    Grilling the Romaine Lettuce:

    • Remove any damaged outer leaves. Slice the lettuce lengthwise retaining the root which will hold the lettuce together during grilling.
    • Lightly brush both sides of the lettuce with the olive oil-herb mixture and place on the grill. Grill until marks appear; 1-2 minutes. Flip over and repeat. Remove and allow to rest for a few minutes.

    Assembling the salad:

    • Chop off the root from the grilled lettuce hearts and discard. Slice across the romaine hearts and add to a serving bowl. Cut grilled bread/rolls into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl. Slice chicken across the breast and add to the bowl. Toss with the dressing and parmesan cheese; serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2000IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

     

    This recipe was originally share July 18, 2015.

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Macie says

      July 02, 2021 at 7:25 am

      5 stars
      I am a huge Caesar salad fan and I love this grilled version! It really brings out so much flavor!

      Reply
    2. Ramona says

      July 01, 2021 at 1:04 am

      5 stars
      Amazing salad with divine flavours. Great idea to grill the lettuce too!

      Reply
    3. Lindsay says

      June 30, 2021 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely love the tips on grilling romaine lettuce! Such a wonderful salad!

      Reply
    4. Beth Reilly says

      June 30, 2021 at 9:10 am

      Even my picky teenager loves this! Our new favorite salad!

      Reply
    5. Leslie says

      June 30, 2021 at 8:49 am

      5 stars
      I love that you grilled the romaine for this recipe! Caesar salad is such a classic and one of my favorites. Such a great recipe!

      Reply
    6. Katie Youngs says

      June 30, 2021 at 8:16 am

      5 stars
      I am no stranger to making Caesar Salad but I decided to give this recipe a try because it is different from what I normally make myself. I am so glad I gave it a try! I love that the Caesar dressing was lightened up. I had never tried grilling my romaine before but that was seriously a game changer – so delicious! Serving the salad with grilled bread was such a great idea!

      Reply
    7. Gloria says

      June 30, 2021 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      This is our go-to dinner salad. Perfect for eating on the patio. Pour a glass of wine and enjoy!

      Reply
    8. Elizabeth O says

      December 05, 2020 at 6:42 am

      It does look fresh, delicious and perfect for a warm day. I was surprised at how quickly the calories add up though.

      Reply
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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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