Discover the ultimate Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad featuring zesty grilled lemon chicken, homemade garlicky croutons, fresh parmesan cheese, all tossed in a lighter Greek yogurt dressing!
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Who here is a fan of a classic Caesar salad? 🖐🏼 Now, who enjoys the added fat and calories that typically accompany it? Not anymore with this healthier chicken Caesar salad! Crafted with succulent lemon grilled chicken, crisp romaine, homemade garlicky croutons, and a lighter Caesar dressing that swaps Greek yogurt for mayo or eggs. It’s incredibly tasty and much better for your health!
Reasons to Love This Dish
- A nutritious adaptation of your classic Caesar salad!
- This Greek yogurt dressing dramatically lowers fat and calorie content while still delivering incredible flavor.
- The homemade croutons are delightfully crunchy, garlicky, and made from whole grain bread for added nutrition.
- You’re going to adore the flavor of the lemon garlic grilled chicken in this salad!
Ingredients Required
- romaine lettuce – The classic choice for a Caesar salad, but feel free to use other leafy greens.
- grilled chicken – My lemon chicken recipe works wonders here, but leftover rotisserie chicken or other proteins like steak, shrimp, or fish are excellent alternatives.
- caesar dressing – This lighter dressing uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo or eggs, and it doubles as a tasty marinade for chicken if you prepare a bit extra.
- croutons – These simple homemade croutons are crunchy, garlicky, and the ideal topping! Use gluten-free bread if desired.
- parmesan cheese – Freshly grated parmesan cheese is the perfect finish; ensure it’s high-quality for optimal flavor.
Wholesome Caesar Dressing
This healthy Caesar dressing ticks all the boxes! It’s creamy, flavorful, and crafted from fresh ingredients that surpass any store-bought version. By replacing mayo or eggs with Greek yogurt, we enhance protein and reduce unhealthy fats and calories. Plus, this dressing makes a fantastic chicken marinade if you have any leftover! Store it in a sealed airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
While this chicken Caesar salad is fabulous on its own, consider serving it as a side salad with these other meals:
Preparing This Salad in Advance
A wonderful aspect of this salad is its components can be prepared ahead of time and stored until you’re ready to serve.
- The chicken can be prepared up to 3 or 4 days prior, tasting great whether warm or cold on the salad. Leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken works well too.
- The homemade croutons can be kept for up to 2 weeks in a sealed airtight container at room temperature.
- The Caesar dressing stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed mason jar or container. Shake well before using.
- Wash the romaine lettuce and store it in a container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salad.
Additional Salads You Might Enjoy
I hope you love this Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad! If you enjoy it as much as we do, please drop me a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and remember to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I cherish seeing your delicious recreations!
For the Chicken:
For the Salad:
For the Chicken
In a small bowl or jar, thoroughly mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or a 1-gallon sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Refrigerate the chicken for a minimum of one hour.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat and brush it with oil to keep the chicken from sticking. Grill each side of the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, or until fully cooked and no longer pink (the internal temperature should reach 165 degrees). Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Salad
To put the salad together, add the romaine lettuce to a large bowl, then top with the chicken and croutons. Drizzle the dressing over everything, tossing to combine, and finish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Serving: 14/th of salad | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.6g | Protein: 33.8g | Fat: 11.9g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 580mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 3.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.