This Cajun chicken Caesar salad features a creamy (no yolk! no anchovy!) Caesar dressing, Cajun-spiced chicken breast, and buttery garlic croutons. It's a main course salad that's a flavorful twist on classic Caesar salad.
This is one of those meals you definitely want in your back pocket when September starts! It's quick and simple to make and you probably only need to pick up an ingredient or two to make it happen.
It can also be used it as a launchpad for all kinds of meal prep for the week. You can make extra chicken and throw it in with some pasta for a 10 minute dinner. You can make extra salad and put some in jars for weekday lunches, or use any extra chicken for sandwiches.
Plus, it's a wholesome meal that is loved even by the self-confessed salad haters in my life!
Can you make Caesar dressing without raw eggs or anchovies?
Let's talk about this dressing. It's made without the traditional raw egg yolk, which makes it perfect for pregnant women and anyone squeamish about raw eggs. The addition of mayonnaise makes it as creamy as any traditional Caesar dressing.
I also skip the anchovies for this one because I rarely have them on hand, but it has plenty of flavor from a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies anyway), and a few capers.
How to make Cajun chicken Caesar salad
1. Start by chopping up some bacon and browning it in a large skillet. Once cooked, scoop out the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet.
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides with a little salt, followed by some Cajun seasoning.
3. Over medium heat, cook the chicken breasts in the the same skillet the bacon was cooked in, about 6 minutes per side until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
4. While the chicken is resting, blend together the mayo, capers, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt, and pepper using an immersion blender or food processor.
5. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and two cups of bread cubes to the pan.
(*Note: you could use the same pan as the chicken, but I've found the residue from cooking the chicken sometimes turns my croutons black, so I prefer to use a fresh pan, or clean the chicken pan before re-using it.)
6. Toast the croutons, stirring and flipping frequently, until golden. I like to keep them a little chewy.
7. You're ready to assemble the salad! Chop up two hearts of romaine and toss with about ¼ cup of dressing. Divide between four plates.
8. Top each plate with chicken, bacon, and croutons, and drizzle with additional dressing. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.
Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce
- 6 strips bacon
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- Parmesan cheese to taste
Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- dash Tabasco sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Garlic Croutons
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 2 cups crusty bread cut into ½ inch cubes
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Chop the bacon slices into ¼ inch pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Do not pour out the bacon grease.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and Cajun seasoning on both sides.
- Put the skillet back over medium heat and sauté the chicken breasts until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board to rest.
Caesar Dressing
- While the chicken is resting, blend the dressing ingredients together using an immersion or regular blender, or a food processor.
Croutons
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet (If using the same skillet the chicken was cooked in, be sure to clean it first or the croutons will absorb the charred spices and turn black).
- Add the minced garlic and bread cubes to the skillet and toast, flipping and stirring frequently until golden.
- Chop the romaine hearts and toss in a large bowl with about ¼ cup of dressing. Divide between four plates. Top each plate with chicken, croutons, and bacon. Drizzle with additional dressing and sprinkle with parmesan.
Hi! I'm Ann and I blog at Our Happy Mess. I'm all about fast, fresh, and family-friendly recipes. I believe cooking from scratch can not only be doable but FUN, no matter how busy life gets!
You can find more of my recipes at Our Happy Mess.
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