Caesar Chicken Bowl (Printable)

Juicy grilled chicken breast over crisp romaine with parmesan and croutons in creamy dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 pounds)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

07 - 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
08 - 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
09 - 1.5 cups croutons

→ Caesar Dressing

10 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Preparation steps:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season both sides with garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - In a large salad bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce with half of the Caesar dressing until evenly coated.
06 - Divide dressed lettuce among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with sliced grilled chicken, grated parmesan, and croutons. Drizzle with additional dressing as desired.
07 - Serve immediately while chicken is still warm.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, so weeknight dinners stop feeling like a hassle.
  • The homemade Caesar dressing tastes restaurant-quality and you'll find yourself making extra just to have on hand.
  • You can meal prep four servings at once and have lunch figured out for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after grilling—I learned this the hard way when I sliced it straight away and all the juices ran out onto the plate instead of staying in the meat.
  • Make your dressing at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to meld together instead of tasting like individual ingredients.
  • If your lettuce is room temperature or warm from sitting out, everything feels mushy—keep it chilled in the fridge until the last minute.
03 -
  • If you don't have a grill, a cast-iron skillet or even a regular pan works perfectly—you just won't get grill marks, but the chicken tastes just as good.
  • Make your Caesar dressing thicker by using less mayo and more lemon juice if you prefer something tangier, or add a splash of buttermilk if you want it lighter and pourable.
  • Toast your croutons in a hot pan with a bit of the leftover garlic powder and Italian herbs for extra flavor instead of using plain store-bought ones.
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