This is THE BEST Healthy Chicken Caesar salad recipe with Greek yogurt Caesar dressing and pecorino Romano crisps that is so satisfying and delicious!
Why you’ll love this salad
I’m quite the Caesar salad addict. I could eat one several times a week and never get tired of them, provided that the romaine lettuce is crisp and fresh, and you make a homemade Caesar dressing.
Even though I consider this to be a healthy Caesar dressing, this recipe is actually better than any traditional Caesar dressing I’ve ever had. This salad is crisp, refreshing and so delicious!
Also, this recipe doesn’t contain raw egg yolks, so if you have an aversion to that, no worries!
Sub the croutons for low carb cheese crisps
Although I love homemade croutons, I really love cheese crisps as a sub. You can use pecorino Romano cheese, parmesan cheese, or parmigiano reggiano. All three are lower in calorie cheeses. Just shred little piles on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure not to burn them!
How to make the creamy salad dressing
This dressing takes literally 2-3 minutes to whip up, and you can shake it up in a mason jar, whisk it in a bowl, or blend it in a food processor or blender. And you will never know it’s a healthier version. This is one of my favorite dressings I’ve ever created.
- Greek yogurt (because it has less water)
- only a touch of mayo for creaminess
- a tube of anchovy paste or canned anchovy fillets for umami flavor (I have an easy sub if you want to omit them)
- fresh parsley for color and flavor
- lemon juice
- garlic
- stone ground mustard or dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce (for more umami flavor)
- Freshly cracked black pepper (makes all the difference!)
- and just a smidgen of olive oil
This dressing is a little “looser” because there isn’t as much oil binding everything together. Simply toss a little bit of the dressing over the salad to coat evenly and serve in a different bowl or plate. This ensures you don’t overdress your greens.
For the chicken
I simply seasoned and sauteed the chicken breasts on the stovetop and finished cooking them in the oven so they stay nice and tender. Be sure to let the chicken rest on the counter for a few minutes before slicing to ensure the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Easy Lamb Meatballs with Caesar Salad
- Healthy Shrimp Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing
- Crisp Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Lemon Basil Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Easy Mediterranean Kale Farro Salad
Bon Appetit Ya’ll,
Leslie O.
Healthy Caesar Salad | Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
Equipment
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 large salad bowl or mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 1 tomato sliced
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp Mayo
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, or 1 clove if you want milder garlic flavor smashed and chopped very finely
- 2 tsp anchovy paste or two anchovies from a can the anchovies in a tube are great because you can seal it and use it again
- 2 Tbsp parsley
- 2 Tbsp pecorino romano cheese (plus more for the crisps below) you can substitute with parmesan cheese
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For the Pecorino Romano crisps
- 6 Tbsp pecorino romano cheese shredded finely
Instructions
For the Cheese Crisps
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Shred 8 Tbsp of pecorino Romano cheese into 8 circles. Set aside 2 of the little circles for the dressing. Place 6 of the circles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or you can use a Silpat liner to prevent the cheese crisps from sticking.Bake the cheese crisps for 8-10 or until lightly golden brown. Make sure not to burn them! Set aside to let them cool.
For the Chicken
- While the cheese crisps are baking, in a medium to large skillet (preferably oven safe), heat the pan to medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and feel free to add your favorite seasoning blend (I love Emeril's Essence).When the pan is hot, add a little bit of olive oil to the pan and add the chicken breasts. Sear on each side for about 3-5 minutes or until each side has nice color on it.If using an oven-safe pan (like cast iron or stainless steel), transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking the chicken in the center. If you don't have an oven-safe pan, move the chicken to a sheet pan or small baking pan. Skinless chicken breast will take about 15 minutes to cook through, while bone-in skin-on chicken breasts will take about 25-30 minutes.When the chicken is done, let the meat rest on the counter for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and prevent the juices from running out of the meat once sliced.
For the dressing
- While the chicken is cooking, finely chop the parsley and garlic.
- Add the mayo, Greek yogurt, garlic, olive oil, anchovy paste (or 2 anchovies worth), and 2 Tbsp shredded pecorino Romano cheese to a bowl. Whisk the mixture together until the dressing is combined.
- Chop the romaine and place in a bowl. Drizzle some of the salad dressing over the greens and toss to coat. This ensures that your salad isn't overdressed and soggy. Season with salt and pepper.
- Top the two salads with tomato slices and cheese crisps and sliced chicken.
- Serve immediately.
I am loving these crisps and the lightened up dressing. What a great way to healthy up this salad!
Oh those crisps. Yes I could eat 20 of them in one sitting, so I had to only make a few for portion control, HA!