How to make a healthy chicken Caesar salad recipe in under 30 minutes. Best Tips and Tricks
Hey Foodies,
Today I am going to show you how to make a Caesar salad recipe that’s easy, healthy and crazy delish.
And there’s more.
I made it with crispy chickpeas instead of croutons, and I topped it with a light dressing. Both are low-calorie, making it perfect for those of you who like to stay fit.
It is very easy to incorporate this healthy chicken Caesar salad with any diet and you can serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
More healthy meals:
I will also show you how to make Caesar salad dressing at home, so you won’t have to buy the unhealthy, super-processed version from the store.
This will add tons of flavor and it’s super easy to make.
But before all that, as always, I would like to give you some helpful tips and tricks.
How to make chicken caesar salad – Best Tips & Tricks
1. Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking
I cannot stress this enough. This is one of the most important steps when cooking chicken breast.
If it’s not frozen, take it out of the fridge and leave it for 15-20 min until it gets to room temp.
If it’s frozen, there are two ways of doing it:
- Leave it in the fridge overnight, then proceed as above.
- Place it in cold water for at least 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken.
Bringing it to room temp will give it a nice golden-brown crust on the outside, and in the middle, it will be juicy and tender.
Also, don’t slice it right after cooking. Let it rest for about 5 minutes and then slice.
2. Get an instant-read thermometer
It is a good idea to purchase an instant-read meat thermometer if you don’t have one already.
This is a real life-saver in the kitchen!
No more guessing whether your chicken is done or not, and no more over-cooking “just to be on the safe side”.
You can find some decent priced ones on good old Amazon.
3. Roasting the chicken instead of pan-frying
You can also roast the chicken on a baking tray, together with chickpeas. You’ll need to bring it to a 180C/350F temp, and the cooking time should be around 15-20 minutes.
Again, the meat thermometer is of much help here.
4. Replace the Iceberg salad with your favorite greens
You can replace the Iceberg salad with Romaine or any other mixed greens you might like.
But keep in mind that you should maintain texture and flavor when mixing these ingredients.
Romain and Iceberg are more crunchy than spinach or arugula.
Also, watercress and arugula are more peppery than lettuce.
5. Cut the ingredients into bite-sized pieces
It might take a bit longer to make the Caesar salad but it is surely better to fit more ingredients in one fork and also be able to take a bite.
I honestly hate it when salad ingredients are so large that I can’t take a normal bite and have to cut it myself while eating.
6. What kind of cheese goes with chicken caesar salad
Homemade chicken caesar salad is usually best with hard cheeses like:
- Parmesan
- Manchego
- Pecorino
- Gouda
- Goya
- Cheddar
- Blue cheese
It’s worth noting here that cheese is not exactly low-calorie, so don’t exaggerate with it (I know it’s easy to exaggerate with cheese).
And just in case you are wondering about Caesar salad’s calories, take a look at the nutritional facts.
7. Make your own Caesar salad dressing
Now in regards to the dressing, why not make it at home instead of buying it from the store?
This way you have control over the ingredients, thus, it will surely come out healthy and delicious.
And you can make it within minutes.
I left you the recipe for my creamy homemade Caesar salad dressing below, but if you like another one more then just replace it with your favorite.
Remember: homemade is always healthier and more delicious.
And not just because you’ve worked for it 🙂 but also because you control what goes into your food and you make it exactly to your taste.
I believe I have now covered everything about this easy Caesar salad recipe, so let’s not waste any more time and make it (don’t know about you but I’m literally craving for it by now).
And if you would like to see more yummy recipe videos, please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
Easy Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken Caesar Salad
- 2 Tbsp olive oil - divided
- 1 can (400g / 15oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- sea salt & pepper - to taste
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 small head Iceberg lettuce - chopped
- 1 cup (150g) halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (25g) Parmesan cheese - shaved or grated
- 1 ripe avocado - sliced
Caesar Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (80ml) low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- salt & fresh black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat oil in a cast iron pan over med-high heat. Add chickpeas then season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently, until golden and crispy, for about 15–20 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same preheated pan, pour in the remaining oil. Add chicken breast and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook for about 7-8 minutes per side or until juices run clear (the internal temperature should be 75C/165F). Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest a bit, then slice it.
- Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with the skinny dressing.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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