Homemade Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken and Garlic Croutons

Ingredients

• 1 head Romaine lettuce (washed and torn)
• 300 g Chicken fillets (or tenders) (cut into strips)
• 3 pcs Fresh eggs (for hard‑boiled eggs)
• 2 slices Country bread (cut into cubes about 1 cm)
• 60 ml Extra‑virgin olive oil (for croutons and dressing)
• 2 pcs Garlic cloves (1 for the croutons, 1 for the dressing)
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel
• 1 pinch Herbes de Provence or oregano (optional)
• 100 ml Heavy cream (35% fat)
• 1 yolk Egg yolk
• 40 g Anchovy fillets (or anchovy paste)
• 5 ml White wine vinegar (about 1 tsp)
• to taste Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the bread into cubes

   Cut the country bread slices into cubes about 1 cm on a side.

   Time: PT2M

2. Prepare garlic oil

   Press 1 garlic clove into a small bowl, add 30 ml olive oil, a pinch of fleur de sel and Herbes de Provence, then mix.

   Time: PT2M

3. Coat the croutons

   Toss the bread cubes with the flavored garlic oil until they are well coated.

   Time: PT2M

4. Cook the croutons

   Spread the cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 5 minutes at 180°C until golden and crisp.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Boil the eggs

   Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil then cook 9 minutes.

   Time: PT9M

6. Peel and cut the hard‑boiled eggs

   Peel the cooled eggs and cut each egg into four quarters.

   Time: PT2M

7. Prepare the Caesar dressing

   In the immersion blender bowl, combine the heavy cream, 1 pressed garlic clove, the egg yolk, the anchovy fillets (40 g), 30 ml olive oil and the vinegar. Blend until smooth.

   Time: PT4M

8. Season and cook the chicken

   Brush the chicken strips with a drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and optionally add a little grated anchovy. Grill them in a skillet over medium‑high heat 8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and cooked through.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Prepare the romaine

   Rinse the romaine lettuce, spin dry and tear the leaves into bite‑size pieces.

   Time: PT3M

10. Assemble the salad

    In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the Caesar dressing, add the croutons, the grilled chicken strips and the hard‑boiled egg quarters. Finish with a turn of black pepper.

    Time: PT3M

11. Serve

    Divide the salad onto plates and serve immediately to enjoy the crunch of the croutons.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Romaine lettuce: iceberg lettuce, frisée lettuce
• Instead of Chicken fillets (or tenders): turkey, tofu
• Instead of Country bread: baguette, whole‑grain bread
• Instead of Extra‑virgin olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of Fleur de sel: sea salt
• Instead of Herbes de Provence or oregano: dried oregano
• Instead of Heavy cream (35% fat): thick crème fraîche
• Instead of Egg yolk: pasteurized egg yolk
• Instead of Anchovy fillets: anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce
• Instead of White wine vinegar: apple cider vinegar

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Mixing bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Small saucepan
• Immersion blender
• Grill pan
• Kitchen tongs (optional)
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Serving bowl

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the croutons
• Boiling the eggs
• Preparing the Caesar dressing
• Cooking the chicken

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly grate the anchovy fillets to incorporate them more easily into the dressing
• Use slightly stale bread for crunchier croutons
• A splash of fresh lemon added to the dressing adds a slight extra acidity

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the dressing and croutons separately in airtight containers, consume within 2 days.

Freezer: Grilled chicken can be frozen for 1 month, reheated before use.

Room temperature: Do not leave the salad at room temperature for more than 1 hour.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the croutons the day before and store them in an airtight jar
• The Caesar dressing keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator, away from odors
• Grilled chicken can be cooked ahead of time and quickly reheated in a pan