Chicken Caesar Salad
This Chicken Caesar Salad recipe is delicious with a premium balsamic vinegar drizzled on top! Enjoy!
We live in funny times right now, where people are building giant homes with kitchens that look like a restaurant’s. Yet so many of these homes are never used for entertaining, or if so, maybe just a couple times a year.
I say, even if you’re not a good cook, use your house! Use your kitchen! Enjoy it with family and friends, even if that means the simplest meal, like ordering pizza and making a giant salad!
Chicken Caesar Salad
One of my go-to salads that I think is divine, is a giant Caesar Salad. Everyone loves a Caesar, right?
I know most cooks have perfected their own dressing, some with anchovies, some without. Today I’m sharing a delicious recipe from my friend, Michelle.
Another tip that I think makes the Caesar salad rock: Squeeze a fresh lemon and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.
Use a really good quality of balsamic, if you can. (Thank you, Jenny, for this fabulous combo!)
Sometimes we love a Caesar with chicken for dinner. Quick and easy meal.
Sometimes we’ll serve this for an impromptu dinner with a hot loaf of crunchy bread and wine!
When we stop and gather with friends or family around our tables—big kitchen or not—we acknowledge that life is fast and frantic, but some things are still most important.
It’s time to slow down, serve a simple meal, and get over our entertaining excuses, Friends.
Serve a simple meal
1. Occasionally serve a weeknight meal. Weeknight entertaining is usually short and sweet.
2. Don’t be afraid to buy take out, or take short cuts to get a good meal on the table.
3. Keep it casual and light.
One thing I’ve learned over the past 25 years is to stay in the rhythm of entertaining. We do it often, it eliminates my fears, I keep my eyes open for new, easy recipes, and it’s never with a “look at me” attitude.
That goes bye-bye. Seriously, friends. There’s not enough time for that.
I truly want to focus on a healthy meal, and getting ready for our company!
It’s always so rewarding – every single time!
Get the Recipe:
Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 2-pound rotisserie chicken, skinned
- 1 1/4 pounds romaine lettuce, torn (about 12 cups), chopped or torn and well-rinsed (no watery lettuce)
- Grape tomatoes
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Balsamic vinegar
- 2 ounces 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups plain croutons
- 1 lemon
- For Dressing: 1 cup salad oil
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 T white vinegar
- anchovies to taste, I put in 4 or 5, plus a little of the oil – yum! – optional
- 4 to 6 cloves pressed garlic, to taste – we like garlic, so I go heavy on it
- 1 T dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 2 large or 3 small egg yolks
- 1 cup canned parmesan cheese, the kind you put on spaghetti sauce
Instructions
- Remove rotisserie chicken from bones; then shred with 2 forks, or chop, until you have 3 cups of meat. If you have leftover chicken, reserve for another use.
- In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, shredded chicken, grape tomatoes, and red onion.
- For the dressing, mix the oil, lemon juice, white vinegar, anchovies (optional), garlic, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, egg yolks, and canned Parmesan cheese in the blender or food processor. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill dressing before using.
- Before serving, pour the dressing over the salad. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over salad, squeeze 1/2 lemon, then gently toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese and croutons. Serve!
More easy food ideas:
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I have finally found a blog with someone of like-mindedness!
Chick Caesar is one of our fav weeknight meals. I almost never buy my salad dressings (thank you Ninja!) and have learned to whip up a greek yogurt caesar dressing that is fabo.
Thank you for your encouragement to have friends over and just enjoy life. My husband and I love to cook together. It’s our therapy. We had a couple over Saturday night for “dinner theater.” We prepared shrimp and grits and also seafood gumbo. It was a bit much but we had fresh gulf shrimp that would go bad if we didn’t use it.. so everybody got a double treat! Plus coming home late Sunday night from our cabin to a pot of already made gumbo was wonderful!
Love the recipes and the photography!
Thanks, Maxine. You sound very active with hospitality, too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Love your shrimp menu!
Yum!!! Great idea. I actually have some leftover chicken from Chicken soup last night (I didn’t use it all), maybe I’ll make caesar salad tomorrow since everyone likes it.