This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Step up your salad game with Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad. It’s the ultimate protein-rich dish that features Greek yogurt, fresh French bread, and lots of parmesan!
The best salad with healthy caesar dressing
When life hands you chicken, pair it with fresh French bread and Greek yogurt and create a healthy chicken caesar salad! From the chicken and dressing to the salad and croutons, we’re making it all from scratch โ the healthy way!
This healthy chicken caesar salad recipe uses real, flavorful ingredients. It all comes together as a juicy, refreshing salad that’s equally as filling and satisfying as it is yummy! Between the carefully (and simply) seasoned chicken and the totally loaded dressing, we’re pulling out all the stops to make this dish.
It’s perfect as an appetizer, side, or main course!
Ingredients in healthy caesar salad
Since we’re making this dish from scratch in all areas, we’re working with four sections of ingredients: the chicken, croutons, dressing, and salad. We’ll prepare everything in that order.
Chicken
- Chicken breasts: First up, you’ll need 3 large chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half through the middle. This will amount to 6 thin pieces.
- Salt & pepper: A dash of salt and pepper goes a very long way!
- Avocado oil: 2 tbsp of avocado oil will be used to cook the chicken.
Croutons
- French bread: To make croutons, start with 1/2 a loaf of French bread, and cut it into cubes.
- Avocado oil: 2 tbsp of avocado oil will be drizzled over the bread pieces to help them bake to golden perfection.
- Garlic: Include 2 cloves of minced garlic for flavor.
- Salt & pepper: Last but not least, include a pinch of salt and pepper.
Dressing
- Greek yogurt: 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt will serve as the base of our dressing.
- Mayonnaise: This will be followed by 1/3 cup of mayo, our other base ingredient.
- Parmesan: Next up, use 3 tbsp of parmesan cheese for flavor (and always appreciated cheesiness).
- Garlic: Include 2 cloves of minced garlic.
- Lemon juice: 1 tbsp of lemon juice will add zest. Though only 1 tbsp, this ingredient adds so much to the dish!
- Worcestershire sauce: Next, include 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce.
- Dijon mustard: 2 tsp of dijon mustard adds a tangy but slightly spicy taste.
- Anchovy paste: 2 tsp anchovy paste provides that classic caesar dressing flavor!
- Avocado oil: Include 1 tbsp of avocado oil for texture.
- Salt and Pepper: Last but not least, add 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper (each).
Salad
- Romaine: For the salad, start with 3 whole hearts of romaine, chopped into small pieces.
- Parmesan: Finish things off with 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese! You can never have too much of this ingredient.
Tools needed to make this dish
Standard tools are needed to create caesar salad, in addition to 4 measuring cups. I like to gather all of my tools beforehand so everything is right where I need it when I’m ready for it.
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cast iron skillet
- Spatula or tongs
You’ll need the following measuring cups to measure out your ingredients: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, and 1/3 cup.
How to make healthy chicken caesar salad
Consisting of four parts, healthy caesar chicken salad comes together much easier than you may expect. We’ll start by cooking the chicken on the stove, followed by baking the croutons and mixing the dressing. Finally, we’ll assemble the salad!
First up is the chicken. Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp of avocado oil.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Cook the chicken in the skillet until completely cooked, flipping halfway. Remove from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF.
While the chicken is cooking, mix the bread cubes in a bowl with avocado oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the tossed bread onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Toss halfway through.
Then, to make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your seasoning needs.
Prep the salad by adding the lettuce to a big bowl and tossing with 2/3 of the dressing.
Add the sliced chicken, croutons, parmesan cheese, and remaining dressing on top.
Recipe Tips
Here are some quick tips for making homemade chicken caesar salad.
Chicken temperature
Chicken should reach an internal temperature of at least 165ยฐF before being removed from the heat.
Store bought caesar dressing
You can most definitely use your favorite store-bought dressing for this recipe if that’s easier for you! The dressing is a big part of the healthy twist that this recipe provides, but whatever you prefer totally works.
Skipping the anchovy paste
Not a fan of anchovies, or just prefer the dressing without? Skip the paste! This simple swap won’t alter the flavor too extremely. In fact, the lemon juice should hide the fact that it’s missing!
Healthy caesar salad benefits
To make this caesar salad healthier than what you’d find in a restaurant or grab-and-go container, I paid special attention to the dressing. The dressing in caesar salad is where you get the bulk of the calories (as is the case with most salads), so this was a main focus!
To achieve a healthier result, I went with a Greek yogurt and mayonnaise combo versus using solely mayo. This cut the mayo in half and snuck in extra protein at the same time! I stuck with the dijon, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce because you can never go wrong with too many flavorings.
In total, this salad provides a lot of benefits. Protein is a big one, with grams flowing in from the chicken, Greek yogurt, and even the parmesan! Other nutrients that this dish provides include calcium, fiber, and Vitamin C.
Storing leftover caesar salad
Have extras? You can keep them for about 2-4 days. I recommend storing all parts (chicken, salad, croutons, dressing) separately to prevent soggy croutons or dressing-drenched lettuce! If stored this way, your leftovers should stay crunchy.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Chicken recipes are great for filling bellies and providing lean, healthy protein. Here are some more of my chicken favorites, complete with a classic (but healthy) chicken parmesan and a creamy buffalo chicken soup!
- Cranberry Chicken Casserole
- Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it was! Also tag @erinliveswhole on Instagram and use the hashtag #erinliveswhole so I can see it and feature you!
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
Step up your salad game with Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad. It’s the ultimate protein-rich dish that features Greek yogurt, fresh French bread, and lots of parmesan!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 large chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half through the middle to make thinner and make 6 pieces.
- salt + pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Croutons
- 1/2 loaf French bread, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt + pepper
Dressing
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Salad
- 3 whole hearts of romaine, chopped
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a cast iron skillet or skillet, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Cook in skillet until completely cooked, flipping half way. Take off when internal temp reaches 165F.
- Meanwhile, mix bread cubes in bowl with avocado oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
- Make dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust to seasoning needs.
- Prep salad by adding lettuce to a big bowl and tossing with 2/3 of the dressing.
- Add sliced chicken, croutons, parmesan cheese and remaining dressing on top.
- Serve!
There may be affiliate links in this post!ย By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat ๐
amanda brower says
this salad is absolutely amazing!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Amanda, so happy you liked it!
amanda brower says
Hands down one of the best salads I’ve ever had!
Erin says
Hi Amanda, so glad you loved it!
Val Dorsey says
Double the recipe and made for about 16 people for Easter and everyone loved it!!! Unfortunately the grocery store was out of anchovy paste but I google buying anchovy filets and mashing them in place. Threw the dressing in the ninja blender really quick and it was great.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Val, so glad you still liked it and made it work!
Nora says
So good!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nora, so glad you liked it!
Jill says
Love this recipe! The dressing is so delicious – was nervous about using anchovy paste but itโs so worth it!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jill, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Jess says
This caesar was so good. So easy to make and the dressing is delicious! Actually grilled my chicken since it’s warm and that means grilling season!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jess, so glad you loved it and great idea!!
April says
I made this again tonight and I canโt get enough. I could eat this every day.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi April, so glad you love it so much!!
Anna says
Caesar salads have been in constant rotation since finding this recipe, and let the tell you, this dressing is EVERYTHING! . It is the easiest and tastiest caesar recipe I have ever tried. Added bonus, it’s healthy. Thanks Erin!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Anna, so glad you loved it so much!! ๐
Kristin says
This dressing is SO good!!! The anchovy paste grossed me out so I only used a little bit at first, but ended up adding some more. Cheesy, garlic-y..delicious!!!
Erin says
Hi Kristin, so glad you liked it anchovy paste and all!!
Andi says
If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. I cannot get over how insanely good this salad was. Way better than store bought dressing and the french bread croutons were *chef’s kiss*
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Andi, I am soo happy you loved it!! Thanks for your kind words!
Sandra says
Yum! Easy enough to make. ๐
Katie says
So garlicky and delicious! Better than any store bought caesar hands down!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Katie, so glad you enjoyed it!
April says
Wow! Made this tonight and it is so good. The dressing!!!!!!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi April, so happy you loved it!
Tom says
I can’t get enough of this recipe. The dressing is so good!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Tom, so happy you loved it!
Tom says
I can’t get enough of this recipe. So healthy and incredibly delicious!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Tom, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Liz says
Meal prepped this salad for lunches this week – I’ve only tried the dressing so far but it’s absolutely delicious! I’ve never found a homemade Caesar dressing I like, but I will make this one again and again. The only change I made was using 2tsp caper brine instead of anchovy paste as that’s what I had on hand. 10/10 love it!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Liz, so glad you enjoyed it and made it your own!
Hannah says
This salad was amazing! Of course thatโs not surprising though because any creation of Erinโs is! We swapped out our normal pizza Friday night for this dish this week and we are so glad we did! Thank you for providing us with wholesome, nutritious recipes! ๐
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Hannah, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Molly says
This dressing is amazing! Another fantastic recipe from ELW.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Molly, so glad you loved it!
Anna says
Dressing was absolutely delish!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Anna, so glad you enjoyed it!
Ruhi says
Literally had to come and write a review at 1am because this salad is just that good!! Iโm a sucker for a classic rich caesar salad and this did not disappoint whatsoever after a long day of work. The light and creamy dressing took me only 5 mins to make and Iโm never going back to store bought. Itโs so ridiculously good and my whole family loved it. Thanks Erin for another great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Ruhi, ah I love hearing that!! Thank you for sharing and glad everyone liked it!
Bradie says
I want to make this! My husband can’t have avacado oil, what can I use instead?!?
Erin says
Hi Bradie, any other oil can work- vegetable, extra virgin, coconut, etc. Let me know which one you use and how the salad comes out!!