Chicken Caesar salad

Seared chicken on romaine with a creamy Greek yogurt, parmesan, lemon and garlic dressing.

  • Have some energy
  • Gluten-free
  • American
  • Lunch
  • Chicken
  • Keto
  • Low carb
  • High protein
  • Superfood
Hands-on
18 min
Total time
29 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 14 min
  • Clean up 5 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
10
Cost/serving
$4.50

Per serving

Calories
518
Protein
48 g
Fiber
4.4 g
Net carbs
6.5 g
Fat
32 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 131%, Niacin (B3) 96%, Vitamin B6 83%, Selenium 81%, Vitamin A 74%, Folate 52%, Riboflavin (B2) 50%, Vitamin E 38%, Vitamin B12 35%, Calcium 24%, Thiamin (B1) 24%, Magnesium 24%, Potassium 22%, Zinc 21%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 1

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 150 g chicken breast, boneless skinless

    Same amount as: 5¼ oz, about 1 breast.

  • 1 tsp vegetable oil (canola) (4.7 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1 tbsp almonds (9 g), roughly chopped, for crunch

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • 3 cups lettuce leaves (141 g), romaine, chopped

    Same amount as: 720 mL, about 14 large.

  • 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 2% (45 g)

    Same amount as: 45 mL.

  • 3 tbsp parmesan, grated (15 g)

    Same amount as: 45 mL.

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (5 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • ½ clove garlic, smashed (1.5 g)

    Same amount as: ½ tsp fresh minced garlic, ¼ tsp jarred minced garlic, 0.1 tsp garlic powder.

  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Find alternative ingredients

Quantities are for 1 serving. The dressing keeps 3 days in the fridge. Two breasts fit a 26 cm pan.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (400 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories518
Total fat32 g41%
Saturated fat6.5 g33%
Cholesterol123 mg41%
Sodium547 mg24%
Total carbohydrate11 g4%
Dietary fiber4.4 g16%
Total sugars4.3 g
Net carbs†6.5 g
Protein48 g95%
Vitamin D0.22 mcg1%
Calcium316 mg24%
Iron2.6 mg15%
Potassium1,027 mg22%
Vitamin A665 mcg74%
Vitamin C12 mg13%
Vitamin E5.6 mg38%
Vitamin K157 mcg131%
Thiamin (B1)0.29 mg24%
Riboflavin (B2)0.65 mg50%
Niacin (B3)15 mg96%
Vitamin B61.4 mg83%
Folate209 mcg52%
Vitamin B120.83 mcg35%
Magnesium102 mg24%
Zinc2.3 mg21%
Selenium45 mcg81%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Toast the almonds in the dry pan on medium for 3 minutes, shaking often. Tip them out.

    Done looks like: Light golden and smelling nutty.
  2. Pat the chicken dry. If it is thicker than 2 cm (¾ in), slice it in half horizontally. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Heat the vegetable oil in the same pan on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lay the chicken in and leave it for 5 minutes. Flip and cook 4–5 minutes more.

    Done looks like: Golden on both sides. Thermometer in the thickest part reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher.
  4. Rest the chicken 3 minutes on the board. Meanwhile, grate the garlic finely.

  5. In your bowl, stir the yogurt, 2 tbsp of the parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic and a pinch of pepper until smooth.

    Done looks like: Thick but pourable, like pancake batter.
  6. Add the lettuce and toss until every leaf is coated. Slice the chicken on top. Scatter the rest of the parmesan and the almonds.

Equipment

Non-stick frying pan, 26 cm (10 in) $20–45

What to look for

  • Flat, heavy base that does not wobble on the stove
  • Oven-safe handle is a bonus, not required
  • Works on your stove type (induction needs a magnetic base)

Skip: Sets of 10 pieces. You will use two of them.

Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30

What to look for

  • Reads in 5 seconds or less
  • Thin probe tip
  • Shows °C and °F

Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Dressing too thickThick yogurt.Stir in water, 1 tsp at a time.
Harsh garlic tasteRaw garlic is strong.Use a smaller piece, or let the dressing sit 10 minutes before tossing.
Dry chickenCooked well past 74 °C / 165 °F.Start checking the temperature after 3 minutes on the second side.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 18 min, total 29 min.518 kcal
48 g protein
4.4 g fiber
6.5 g net carbs
32 g fat
Nut-freeNo almonds. Hands-on 15 min, total 26 min.466 kcal
46 g protein
3.3 g fiber
5.6 g net carbs
27 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.

Pregnancy: Cook the chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part. Parmesan is a hard cheese and is fine.