Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons is a medium French recipe that serves 4. 550 calories per serving. Recipe by Hervé Cuisine on YouTube.
Prep: 27 min | Cook: 28 min | Total: 1 hr 15 min
Cost: $16.30 total, $4.08 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine lettuce (washed and dried)
- 2 fillets (≈300 g) Chicken breasts (cut into strips)
- 150 g Country bread (cut into 1 cm cubes)
- 2 cloves Garlic (one pressed for croutons, one for the sauce)
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (2 for croutons, 2 for sauce)
- 1 pinch Fleur de sel (for croutons)
- 0.5 tsp Dried oregano (for croutons)
- 100 ml Heavy cream (base of the dressing)
- 1 units Egg yolk (for the dressing (use pasteurized egg if desired))
- 80 g Grana Padano (40 g in the dressing, 40 g shaved for garnish)
- 5 units Canned anchovy fillets (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp White wine vinegar (for the dressing)
- 3 units Fresh eggs (for hard‑boiled eggs)
- to taste Ground black pepper (for the chicken and finishing)
Instructions
Garlic Croutons
Cut the country bread into cubes of about 1 cm. Press 1 garlic clove into 2 tbsp olive oil, add a pinch of fleur de sel and ½ tsp dried oregano, mix. Toss the bread cubes with this mixture, spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 5 minutes at 180°C until golden and crisp.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: 180°C
Hard‑boiled eggs
Place the 3 eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to a boil, cook for 9 minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water, let cool for 5 minutes, peel and cut each egg into 4 quarters.
Time: PT16M
Caesar dressing
In a bowl, combine 100 ml heavy cream, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1 egg yolk, 40 g grated Grana Padano, 2 tbsp olive oil, the 5 minced anchovy fillets and 1 tsp vinegar. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and slightly thick.
Time: PT7M
Grilled chicken
Slice the chicken breasts into strips. Season them with 1 tbsp olive oil, black pepper and 20 g grated Grana Padano. Heat the grill pan over medium‑high heat, cook 5‑6 minutes each side until nicely browned and internal temperature reaches 75°C. Let rest for 2 minutes before slicing.
Time: PT17M
Salad assembly
Rinse and dry the romaine lettuce, place it in a large bowl. Add the Caesar dressing, toss to coat evenly. Fold in the croutons, grilled chicken strips, hard‑boiled egg quarters, sprinkle the remaining Grana Padano shavings and lightly pepper. Serve immediately.
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 550
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Dietary info: Contains meat, Contains dairy, Non-vegetarian, High in protein, high-protein
Allergens: Gluten, Milk, Eggs, Fish
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of Romaine lettuce: Iceberg lettuce
- Instead of Chicken breasts: Turkey cutlet
- Instead of Country bread: Baguette, Ciabatta
- Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder
- Instead of Extra virgin olive oil: Sunflower oil
- Instead of Fleur de sel: Sea salt
- Instead of Dried oregano: Provencal herbs
- Instead of Heavy cream: Thick Greek yogurt
- Instead of Egg yolk: Mayonnaise
- Instead of Grana Padano: Parmesan
- Instead of Canned anchovy fillets: Anchovy paste
- Instead of White wine vinegar: Lemon juice
- Instead of Ground black pepper: White pepper
Equipment Needed
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl for garlic oil
- Garlic press (optional)
- Saucepan for eggs
- Timer or watch (optional)
- Immersion blender (hand blender)
- Grill pan
- Kitchen tongs
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Cheese grater
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Toss the bread cubes with garlic oil without making them too greasy
- Achieve a stable emulsion for the Caesar dressing
- Chicken cooking: do not overcook to keep it tender
Chef Tips from the Video
- Use aged Grana Padano for a more pronounced flavor
- Lightly grill the grated cheese on the chicken for a fine crust
- Add a splash of lemon juice to the dressing for a fresh note if desired
Troubleshooting
The dressing separates
Resume blending by adding a thin stream of oil very slowly while continuing to blend. If needed, incorporate a teaspoon of warm water.
The croutons are soggy
Ensure the bread is well coated with oil but not soaked, and bake in a well‑preheated oven at 180°C. Cool on a rack to retain crispness.
The chicken is dry
Do not cook it too long, let it rest 2 minutes after cooking and slice against the grain.
Storage
Refrigerator: Croutons keep for 3 days in an airtight container. The dressing and chicken store for 2 days in the refrigerator separately. Assemble the salad just before serving.
Freezer: Not recommended to freeze croutons or the assembled salad (texture loss).
Room temperature: Consume the salad within 2 hours if left at room temperature.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Prepare the croutons the day before and reheat for 2 minutes in the oven before serving
- The Caesar dressing can be made 24 hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator
- Grill the chicken in advance, reheat lightly in the oven or pan before adding to the salad
Last updated: August 20, 2026
