You’re going to love this Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad! It’s an update to the classic chicken Caesar salad with a homemade dressing and delicious grilled flavor. Perfect for summer cookouts and BBQs!
Disclosure: This post was created as part of my ongoing partnership with the Produce for Better Health Foundation. I was not compensated for my time.
Do you remember the one thing you were always excited to order at a restaurant when you were a young kid? I do! And if this post is any clue, you can probably guess it was a chicken Caesar salad. I felt like such a grown-up and of course I didn’t realize until I was older that there were other salads out there that were just as delicious.
But this summer I wanted to experiment with an updated version. Grilled romaine might seem like an odd choice, but the flavor is seriously out of this world. You might never want to go back to plain romaine in your salads again!
How do I grill romaine lettuce?
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. These simple steps have never failed me and I don’t even have an outdoor grill (more on that later). Here’s what you need to do:
- Take your heart of romaine and lay it flat on a cutting board. Slice it once down the center, lengthwise, to split it in half.
- Brush the flat side with a little bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking.
- Place it over medium-high heat on the grill grates. Leave it for 2-3 minutes or until grill marks start to form. Take it off the heat and that’s it!
It’s a simple way to add extra grilled flavor to your salads. I think I’ll try this in other summer salads because it turned out so great in this chicken Caesar salad. Then again, since it was so good, maybe I’ll just stick with the classic!
And it is a classic, indeed. An informal poll among friends and family ranked it at the top of their list. But I’ve also heard many people say they avoid it because they’re concerned it’s not a healthy salad. To that I say, no way!
With veggies, protein, and carbs from the croutons, you’re getting a balanced meal. Most Americans don’t consume the recommended amount of fruits & veggies, so tasty salads can be an easy way to get additional servings of vegetables. Plus, using a homemade dressing is one of the easiest ways to modify recipes or recreate them at home in healthier ways.
How do I make a homemade Caesar Dressing?
You may already have most of the ingredients for making a homemade Caesar salad dressing. But there is one you absolutely, positively cannot do without: anchovies!
I know what you’re thinking. “But can’t I just skip those? I don’t like anchovies.” And I get it, I really do, because I used to think the exact same thing. Then I tried them in this version of a chicken Caesar salad and I’m so glad I did. It tasted exactly like what I’d get in a restaurant. Every time I made it before (without anchovies) I thought, “Hmmm, this is pretty close but not quite the same.”
Now, I’ll never go back! Just fish out (pun intended) two or three fillets. Don’t bother to dry them off, as the oil they’re packed in is only going to add even more distinct flavor to make your homemade Caesar dressing taste amazing.
You’ll also need olive oil, plain Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, Worchestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, and salt & pepper.
Simply toss everything into a blender, whip it up, and you’re ready to go! Make ahead of time and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. It will thicken up as it sits, so if you need to thin it down, just whisk in olive oil, milk, or water in one tablespoon increments until the consistency is just how you like it.
Can I make this Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad without a grill?
Yes, this salad can be yours even if you don’t have a grill! I don’t have one either, but I use an indoor grill pan like this one to help me get those delicious sear marks. It’s not quite the same thing, but it’s close. Plus, much easier clean up!
If you have enough room, it’s also nice to have a rectangular one. This spans two burners so you can have one set to higher heat and one set to lower heat.
To save cooking time, I arrange my grill pan to let everything cook at the same time. The red onions and chicken go on the higher heat setting, while the romaine lettuce and crouton kebab need lower heat to avoid over-cooking.
Do I have to use chicken?
No, you don’t have to use chicken to make this grilled romaine caesar salad…but instead of a chicken caesar salad, it simply becomes whatever you want it to be! Try using flank steak or skirt steak for a hearty wedge salad, or add shrimp kebab skewers while you grill the croutons.
You can also go meat-free and leave the protein for the main dish if you want to serve your grilled romaine caesar salad as a side salad instead of an entree salad. If that’s not an easy way to #HaveAPlant, I don’t know what is!
Here’s the recipe for my Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad:
Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad with Chicken
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Grill
- Mixing Bowl
- Kebab Skewers
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 hearts of romaine, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/2 red onion, cut crosswise into two rings, outer skin removed
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- coarse sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 thick slices of sourdough bread
- Olive oil
For the Dressing:
- 1 container plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of one lemon, seeds removed
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse to combine, then blend until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
For the Salad
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat and scrape/clean as needed. While heating, season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Slice the onion into thin rounds, leaving all layers intact for easier handling. Cut the sourdough bread slices into 1” cubes, then thread only kebab skewers for croutons.
- Once the grill is heated, brush lightly with olive oil to avoid sticking. Add the chicken thighs and sliced red onions first. Cook 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip. While cooking on the first side, brush the halved heart of romaine with olive oil, then place on the grill, cut-side down, once you flip the chicken thighs.
- Lightly brush the crouton-kebabs with olive oil and grill 3-4 minutes, rotating the skewers once sear marks appear.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove all ingredients from the grill. Build your salad by arranging the grilled romaine on a serving plate, then top with half of the grilled onions, chopped or sliced chicken, and croutons. Add dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Now it’s time to fire up the grill and give this recipe a shot! If you enjoy this Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad with Chicken, be sure to save it for later or share with friends and family.
If you’re looking for more amazing salad recipes (AKA, salads that don’t suck) here are a few more of my favorites!
