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Chicken Caesar Salad (Main Course Style)
Recipe

Chicken Caesar Salad (Main Course Style)

Main • South Africa

A satisfying, everyday Chicken Caesar Salad with pan-seared chicken, crunchy croutons and a creamy-tangy dressing made lighter with plain yoghurt.

Why smarter

Uses plain yoghurt plus a little mayo for a creamy dressing with less saturated fat than a traditional version, while keeping classic Caesar flavours with anchovy, garlic, lemon and Parmesan.

Chef tip

Toss the warm croutons with a pinch of salt and garlic (or garlic powder) right after toasting—this boosts flavour so you don’t need extra oil.

Soft line

All the Caesar vibes, made lighter and still filling.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Skinless chicken breast fillets 600.000 g chicken breast fillets
2 Canola oil 2.000 tsp canola oil for cooking
3 Salt 0.500 tsp salt divided, to taste
4 Black pepper 0.500 tsp black pepper divided, to taste
5 Romaine/cos lettuce, chopped 2.000 large heads romaine (cos) lettuce washed and well dried
6 Cherry tomatoes, halved (optional) 200.000 g cherry tomatoes optional for freshness
7 Day-old bread, cubed (or wholewheat if preferred) 120.000 g bread for croutons
8 Garlic clove, finely grated 1.000 clove garlic divided (some for croutons, some for dressing)
9 Parmesan, finely grated 40.000 g Parmesan cheese plus extra to serve if desired
10 Plain low-fat yoghurt 150.000 g plain low-fat yoghurt for dressing
11 Mayonnaise 2.000 tbsp mayonnaise to round out the dressing
12 Dijon mustard 1.000 tsp Dijon mustard
13 Lemon juice 2.000 tbsp lemon juice fresh is best
14 Worcestershire sauce 1.000 tsp Worcestershire sauce
15 Anchovy fillets, finely chopped (or anchovy paste) 2.000 fillets anchovy fillets optional but classic; adjust to taste
16 Water 2.000 tbsp water to thin dressing if needed

Method

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season with half the salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the canola oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5–7 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until golden and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
  3. In the same pan (or in the oven/airfryer), toast the bread cubes until crisp. While warm, rub/toss with a little grated garlic (to taste) and a pinch of the remaining salt.
  4. Make the dressing: whisk yoghurt, mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, Worcestershire, anchovy (if using), remaining grated garlic, and Parmesan. Add water a spoon at a time to reach a pourable consistency. Season with black pepper and a little salt if needed.
  5. Place chopped cos lettuce in a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes (if using).
  6. Add most of the dressing and toss well to coat.
  7. Top with sliced chicken and croutons. Finish with a little extra Parmesan and black pepper.
  8. Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp and the croutons are crunchy.