Bright, zesty, and full of flavor, this Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad takes the classic Caesar to the next level. Juicy chicken is layered over crisp romaine, creamy Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and parmesan.
It's the EASIEST. Perfect for a light dinner, meal prep, or a nice little lunch, this easy caesar salad recipe is both healthy and satisfying-ready in under 10 minutes. TEN FOLKS. It's the best for when you don't feel like cooking.
Besties when I say I love this salad...it's perfect for fancy girl brunch or simple weeknight meal in. It's a cheaty chicken caesar salad, because I use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken, although you can definitely use grilled or baked chicken! This salad goes PERFECT with old fashioned yeast dinner rolls and ham with orange glaze.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Nice little zing from the lemon, zest AND the lemon juice, lovely parmesan, little crunch from the croutons and pine nuts, perfect!
- Ease: Beginner level, no cooking necessary unless you want to grill chicken for it. As easy as mixing all of the ingredients together!
- Time: TEN MINUTES. So fast!
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Romaine - I use this to bring us back to basics, although a spinach or kale mix would be delicious.
- Chicken - I use shredded rotisserie chicken, but you could also use grilled or baked chicken. Canned is okay, but not great. Pick another option for better results.
- Caesar dressing - I use any store brand, but use your favorite! We love the Olive Garden brand.
- Parmesan - for best results, use fresh. Not pre-shredded!
- Croutons - I use regular seasoned but an italian seasoned version or homemade croutons like in my roasted broccoli salad would be amazing.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Use Kale for a chicken kale caesar salad.
- Add pasta like bowtie, penne, or cellantani for a fun chicken pasta caesar salad.
- For a lighter caesar option, sub half greek yogurt and half caesar dressing.
- Add asparagus tips, or cold green peas for more veggie options.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. Wash and chop the lettuce into small bite sized pieces. It should equal 6-8 cups. Transfer to a salad serving bowl.
- Step 2. Zest your lemon first, then cut it to juice it. Combine the lemon juice and half the lemon zest in a bowl with the caesar dressing.
- Step 3. Assemble the salad by placing the croutons, chopped chicken, pine nuts, and grated parmesan on top of the lettuce.
- Step 4. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir them together. Top with the last of the lemon zest.
Tip: Use the large horizontal cutters on a cheese grater to get nice big pieces of parmesan, or grate small if that's your preferred texture.
📌 Troubleshooting
- Salad soggy? Make sure to use fresh lettuce, dry it thoroughly after rinsing, and add the croutons last for maximum crunch.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Chill the romaine, & keep the croutons and dressing separate from the salad, then assemble before serving.
Usually there is some for acidity, but we're adding MORE to make the lemon flavor more prominent.
It's nutrient dense, and with a light caesar dressing can be a good high fiber, high protein meal option.
🥗 More Delicious Salad Recipes
I love using lemon and chicken in dinners like Lemon Chicken Gnocchi or Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo, but here are some other salads that we LOVE for warm weather!
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce 6-8 cups
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (one lemon)
- 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup Caesar dressing
- 2 cups croutons
- 1½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash and chop 1 head romaine lettuce into small bite sized pieces. It should equal 6-8 cups. Transfer to a salad serving bowl.
- Zest your lemon first, before cutting it to juice it. Combine 4 Tablespoons lemon juice and half the lemon zest in a bowl with ¾ cup Caesar dressing in a small bowl.
- Assemble the salad by placing 2 cups croutons, 1½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken, ½ cup pine nuts, and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese on top of the lettuce.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir them together. Top with the last half of the lemon zest. *If making ahead, keep the croutons and dressing separate from the salad and add right before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
We LOVE this salad for events like baby showers, Mother's Day, and Easter. It's a favorite for holidays like Thanksgiving too. The lemon in the caesar dressing is so nice!