Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 400 g chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garlic Croutons
- 150 g sourdough bread, cubed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 g garlic powder
- 1 g salt
Caesar Dressing
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 garlic, minced into a paste
- 10 g anchovy fillets, finely minced
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 60 ml canola oil
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salad Base
- 300 g romaine lettuce, washed, thoroughly dried, and chopped
- 30 g parmesan cheese, shaved
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 654 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 48 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1124 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 29 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Cholesterol
- 123 mg
- Potassium
- 454 mg
- Calcium
- 199 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 312 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 394 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 99 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 10.7 mg
- Folate
- 115 mcg
- Water
- 153 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the cubed sourdough bread in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 30ml olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Toss until the bread cubes are evenly coated.
Spread the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, minced garlic, anchovy paste, dijon mustard, and lemon juice until well combined and slightly pale.
Continuously whisking rapidly, add the canola oil a few drops at a time to form an emulsion. Once the dressing thickens, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the finely grated Parmesan cheese.
Season the chicken breasts evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 15ml of olive oil. Sear the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it into strips.
Place the dried chopped romaine lettuce into a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss until every leaf is evenly coated. Top with the sliced chicken, garlic croutons, and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using a blend of neutral oil and extra virgin olive oil prevents the dressing from becoming overly bitter, which can happen if you whisk 100 percent extra virgin olive oil too vigorously.
- Do not skip the anchovies. They do not make the dressing taste fishy; rather, they provide the crucial baseline of salty, savory umami that defines a true Caesar.
- For the crispest croutons, use bread that is a few days old. Fresh bread contains too much moisture and takes longer to crisp properly in the oven.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store the dressing, chicken, croutons, and lettuce in separate airtight containers.
Troubleshooting
Dressing separates and becomes watery with pools of oil.
Cause: The oil was added too quickly before the emulsion could properly form.
Fix: Whisk a fresh egg yolk or a teaspoon of hot water in a clean bowl, then slowly stream in the broken dressing while whisking vigorously.
Prevention: Add the neutral oil drop by drop initially, whisking vigorously before adding more.
Salad is soggy immediately after tossing.
Cause: The lettuce leaves were wet when the dressing was applied.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Serve immediately to prevent further wilting.
Prevention: Use a salad spinner and thoroughly pat the romaine dry with paper towels.
Cultural Context
The Caesar salad was famously invented in Tijuana, Mexico in 1924 by Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini. Designed to be prepared dramatically tableside, it crossed the border to become an iconic staple of modern American lunch and dinner menus.
