[2018 Update: I’d never have seen it coming in 2008, but this recipe has become a star of our meal routine, especially in the summer, when we can grill the chicken, or when we are coming off week of heavier foods. The kids like crunchy lettuce and grilled chicken; throwing in croutons seals the deal. We often put it out unassembled so they can make their own bowls. So, I’ve given it a refresh with tighter recipes and more details.]
It has been almost a year since I told you that I don’t like boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, I never had and I never would. Furthermore, I did not understand the American obsession with them (in sandwiches! on pizza! in pasta! on salad! in 54-packs at Costco!). “They have the texture and excitement of pressed sawdust,” I believe were my exact words, and even though I knew I was in a distinct minority on this, I knew I couldn’t rest soundly until I got it off my chest.
But The People wouldn’t let it go. “You must try brining,” they whispered into my inbox, “brining is much better,” they said in the comments, “brining will change you life,” one went as far as to say, at which point I stopped listening entirely. Why should I have to work so hard to make something taste good? Obviously, it is not inherently tasty, or it wouldn’t require all of these extra steps and seasonings. Pressed sawdust, I said; case closed.
I know what you’re thinking right now: Poor Alex. Does he really have to put up with this every single day? Didn’t he, like, live on chicken cutlets when he was single? Can’t she cut them a little slack? And you’d be right: I really am impossible. But if we flash forward to last week’s pork chops, you’ll notice a little step that got squeezed quietly in there: the b-word. The other one. And what it resulted in were the juiciest pork chops I have ever eaten; I could scarcely believe my mouth, and soon enough, there I was, offering to try the same with chicken cutlets. To be chopped into a salad. As if there were not two things I detest more.
Caesar salads are a perfect example of one of those items that always disappoint me when I order them somewhere, so I decided to take them into my own hands a few years ago, my very serious hands. I make the dressing and croutons, I select only the best-looking leaves of Romaine heart, I freshly grate the best Parmesan we have on hand, all the while Alex baffles that a salad his deli can put together in one minute takes me so long. With my recently piqued interest in well-rounded meals, I’ve been looking for a protein to add to it. I tried a chopped hardboiled egg last week but, eh, it just didn’t work for me, which brings us back around to that brined cutlet.
We soaked two chicken cutlets in a half-batch of brine for 30 minutes, and seasoned them before frying them in a pan, only one of the dryest of all dry preparations and seriously? Have you waited long enough for me to tell you this? Brining is a whole new world. I never knew that chicken could be so juicy. However, I’m not going to lie–moisture is not flavor, and these still did not have the flavor profile of darker meat. But it was a start, and a very promising one at that.
One year ago: Leek and Mushroom Quiche [Quiche aux Poireaux et Champignons]
Chicken Caesar Salad
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- A few fine gratings of lemon zest
- Scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups fresh or day-old bread, cubed (sourdough, ciabatta, or a white country bread work well here)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) mayonnaise
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce or 1 to 2 anchovies, minced
- 1 teaspoon smooth dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 “hearts” or 2 full heads of romaine, chopped to the size you like
- Additional grated parmesan
For the chicken
For the croutons
For the dressing
Assembly
Cook the chicken: When you’re ready to cook the chicken, drain it and pat it dry on paper towels. Rub lightly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill on high heat until cooked through, flipping once. It rarely takes more than 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing thin. Squeeze a little lemon juice over once you do.
Make the croutons: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the bread cubes with the oil, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper; stir in parmesan, if using (I promise they’re good either way) and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the dressing: Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Don’t skimp on the salt and pepper; they’re going to wake the whole thing up.
Assemble right before you want to eat it: Toss lettuce, chicken, and croutons with about 2/3 of the dressing (reserve the rest if it needs more), plus parmesan, until everything is evenly coated. Season with more salt and pepper if needed..
These comments had to be copied over due to the server move. Sorry to the original commenters!
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1
I have to agree with you. I cannot stand america’s obsession with the boneless skinless chicken breast. 99% of the time when a recipe calls for them, I typically replace them with boneless skinless thigh’s.
# Sarah January 16, 2008
2
Hey Deb, do you have a good crouton recipe?
# tara January 16, 2008
3
it’s always nice to hear that some people really do give foods they have always detested another shot! great to hear that you’ve taken to the brining method – it’s not something i’ve attempted yet but have always wondered about. as far as the lack of flavor of b/s chicken cutlets, you couldn’t be more right – absolutely bland. however, for a caesar salad, i season them with salt, pepper, and plenty of garlic powder before sauteeing – a WORLD of difference, especially since the garlicky chicken enhances the flavor of the dressing.
# minimally invasive January 16, 2008
4
I completely understand where you’re coming from, Deb. Even when brined, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are just kinda … meh. Glad to hear you weren’t completely won over!
# Tamy January 16, 2008
5
As an alternative to brine, I use an egg white whisked together with a teaspoon of cornstarch. I also add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and white pepper which tends to bring out the flavor. Coat chicken for 30-60 minutes before you are going to prepare it. You will have some of the plumpest juiciest chicken ever.
# Traci January 16, 2008
6
Can I highly recommend State Fair’s Spiedie Sauce when it comes to brining/marinating chicken?
Not only adds moisture, but adds FLAVOR. Not like your standard Italian dressing that many people seem to like to marinate in, the Spiedie Sauce adds a delicious twang of vinegar. We love it!
http://www.spiedie.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=S&Category_Code=SS
# David January 16, 2008
7
Mayo and ‘optional’ anchovies in a Caesar salad?
What kind of crazy-talk is that.
Next thing you know, you’ll be making cookie dough with cold butter.
# Krissy January 16, 2008
8
I’m finally delurkeing, because I was re-reading the site yesterday and *almost* made the Caesar dressing last night…now I know it’s fate! It will be a nice starter before the CI brownies I’m required to eat to avoid being the other b-word!
I’m going to have to try Tamy’s suggested egg white application. It sounds intriguing. Love your site Deb. Thanks for always expanding the possibilities of my culinary world.
# Taylor January 16, 2008
9
Wow…I was actually, like, on the edge of my seat when I clicked the “more†link.
Would she like them? Would she hate them? I need to know the Thrilling Conclusion of the chicken cutlet saga!
(I think my life is a little sad)
# Carla January 16, 2008
10
a shout out for Traci’s suggestion of State Fair Spiedie sauce. I mail this stuff to anyone I know around the country, just to get them hooked. All this in the hopes that if the nation gets hooked on spiedies, I’ll be able to move anywhere in the country and not have to have my family ship me cases of it 2 times a year ;)
An important note about spiedie sauce however.. the meat MUST be marinated for AT LEAST 24 hours.. there is no leeway in that step.
I’ll be posting my step mother’s spiedie sauce marinade recipe soon. My dad handed down all of her cookbooks to me a few years ago but I never really looked through them. The last time I was flipping through her ancient and tattered copy of The Frugal Gourmet, an oooold piece of notebook paper fell out with that recipe. I thought it was lost forever! Now if I could just find her coleslaw dressing recipe… I cannot replicate it for the life of me!
But anyway.. I was going to suggest trying free range organic chicken vs, the industrial farmed crap in most markets. There is a world of difference in the juiciness and taste.
# dori January 16, 2008
11
my husband and i got so sick of chicken breasts at one point that we banned them from our home and started subbing eggplant everywhere chicken was called for. now he is sick of eggplant.
on a separate note: can i just say how much i love the “one year ago today†links? its like 2 recipes per entry for me(sometimes 3 if last year’s recipe has a link to an even older one!) since i just recently became BFF with your blog.
# SJ January 16, 2008
12
If you buy kosher chicken breasts, you can skip the brining step and still get delicious chicken breasts. Try Empire Kosher frozen, especially if you have a Sam’s or Costco membership.
# jennbec January 16, 2008
13
I assume you’ve got a great crouton recipe already but here’s what I use to make my own, if you’re interested – http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2007/07/20/crunchy-goodness/
They’re ridiculously irresistable and would no doubt be great in your evolving caesar salad! :-)
# Jenn Jones January 16, 2008
14
You should try adding other seasonings to the brining…this is expensive but I’m sure you could come up with your own concoction… http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku6586424/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C15%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cbrine&cm%5Fsrc=SCH
# katy January 16, 2008
15
brining — interesting, i would never think to make chicken like that, but maybe i will like it better! i absolutely agree on the boneless skinless chicken breast thing (such a “diet†food too, which i sort of can’t stand), and frankly, i feel the same way about roasted turkey — it’s inevitably too dry on a regular basis, and even slightly too dry on thanksgiving. i do like smoked turkey though, and i wonder if i would like smoked chicken, too. but since i don’t own a smoker, brining sounds like a better one to try first! :-)
# Kathryn January 16, 2008
16
I have to agree with the poster to suggested the free range organic chicken instead of the pre-packaged grocer cutlet. It really is a world of difference. My boyfriend’s brother-in-law farms his own organic, free range chickens and we often get one after a slaughter. The white breast meat is juicier, and much more ‘chicken’-y than anything we’ve ever purchased at the grocer (â€special†expensive Whole Foods chicken included).
That said, there is no solution to making white meat equally as juicy as the dark stuff. Oh sure, you can come close but it will just never have the same texture. Which doesn’t bug me, because I don’t like dark meat (I do like your blog though :D).
# Drakenrahl January 16, 2008
17
Just remember that a brine is just a salt solution. You can use any “liquid†that you want, it doesn’t need to be water. Try using a variety of things. I’ve brined pork in apple juice and rosemary, with the requisite amount of salt of course. Chicken can easily be brined in a array of citrus juices or other fruit juices. Chicken brined in orange jucie with with ginger and dried cherries works well, though I usually brine that one overnight to allow the cherries time to work their magic.
Personally when it comes to boneless skinless chicken, I tend to go with chicken thighs. More flavor, smaller portion, and just plain better overall. Boneless skinless breasts are okay too, but they require a bit more care. When they are done right, they are worth the time and effort, of course there are very few foods which aren’t worth the effort to do right.
# Julie January 16, 2008
18
Even given your recent conversion, perhaps you will enjoy Bill Ruhlman’s chicken-fried pork belly Caesar…?
# aforkfulofspaghetti January 16, 2008
19
Ah, yes – tasteless, dry chicken. We have a similar obsession with the stuff over on this side of the pond. Can’t understand it myself.
Still, thanks to the efforts of a couple of celeb chefs – Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver – the tide is turning, and there’s a new campaign (called ‘Chicken Out’) to get the UK population to abandon intensively (and cruelly) reared birds – the tasteless ones – and to plump for free-range reared chickens instead. Signs are, it’s working.
But this sounds like a great technique to use on any chicken. Like you, I’ve never been much wowed. I usually avoid eating chicken when eating out because it’s so often a let-down. But I will try this at home…
# Sasha January 16, 2008
20
Deb, I’m so with you on the boneless skinless chicken!!! I was beginning to think it was ALL chicken and even ALL POULTRY! Then someone told me about brining. But brine boneless skinless?? Here’s the thing. You can dress a hooker nicely, but she’s still a hooker, yea? Them promiscuous boneless skinless chicken breasts still get around insipidly, brine or not.
IF we’re talking real birds, duck, turkey, even, yes, chicken… Brine is absolute key. I’ve become a convert. Brining has salvaged what little reputation poultry had with me and has lifted it onto a pedestal of EASILY MADE DINNER FOOD FOR A GROUP OF MANY!
# Katie B. January 16, 2008
21
Hurrah Chicken Chests!!! We knew you’d come around! ;)
# Rivka January 16, 2008
22
Yay, another boneless skinless chicken breast hater! I’m a huge fan of the salmon caesar salad. Anyway you slice it, boneless skinless chicken is one big bore. My one exception is when stuffing them, after pounding them nice and thin. And, of course, shnitzel. But…yay!
# Kalle January 16, 2008
23
if you like seafood, a nice grilled (or broiled) piece of salmon is really good on a ceasar salad.
# DocChuck January 16, 2008
24
Since I lost my teeth, my wife cooks ground boneless, skinless chicken in her crockpot with fat free mushroom soup, fat free sour cream, boullion cubes, and about a half bottle of cooking sherry. She serves it on cellophane noodles and Man is it ever good!
# Jocelyn January 16, 2008
25
I don’t know what “brine†is, but you said you liked “Jocelyn Chicken Specialâ€, so I think you can be swayed.
# Yesenia January 16, 2008
26
We hate the cutlets too, mostly because they’re void of flavor and spendy. Chicken tenders however, are void of flavor, but CHEAP. We use them in everything esp because they’re so easy and if you pound them a little, can be cut with a fork. Adding a bit of chicken stock paste to the sauce always helps too.
# Mara January 16, 2008
27
Call me crazy but I love chicken breasts..I prefer them over dark meat! Not sure why..but I love roasting them rather than frying, definitely more juicy that way. Stuffed roasted chicken breast mmm. I gotta try the brine!!
Ugh, I’m not a fan of the chicken breast either. The family enjoy it, and I wonder what in the world have I gotten myself into. Then I remember, more dark meat for me!
I’m laughing as I read your post today because the feature “special” in the hospital cafeteria today was Chicken Caesar Salad—do I need to describe it–LOL?
I always cook my chicken breasts on a stone from pampered chef. Roasted at 350 it takes all of a 1/2 an hour and it’s always juicy…no brine. I rub it with a bit of olive oil and seasonings, it makes for a quick dinner after work. Be careful not to overcook…sawdust tasting things happen.
I love the chicken breast, but honestly, I’ve never seen it as anything but a conduit for whatever sauce/seasoning I put on it. I actually kind of like that they are flavorless in that respect. Also, and this is weird, but chicken grosses me out, kind of, so it’s best if I think of it as nothing more than tasteless protein (then why, I’m asking myself, am I not using tofu? OH RIGHT. I’m married to a chickenman). Beef, I care about flavor; chicken not so much.
Hey,the last couple of days if I try to go to http://smittenkitchen.com I get a notice that your site is unavailable. But if I go to a particular bookmarked page, I can get there and navigate around your site, as long as I don’t try to go to the home page. What gives?
This reminded me to make the Nigella Lawson Caesar dressing recipe from her How To Eat book which I lurve, it’s a bit less rich and less mayonnaise-y than most! (This is not to denigrate your recipe of course, which I am sure is beautifully balanced and lovely!)
For me, a MAJOR part of the problem with these things is the word “cutlet.” ICK.
Molly — We’ve been migrating hosts this week, which caused the wonkiness as the site moves over. (i.e. some pages up, others down). It will hopefully all be back in alignment by the end of today–DNS propogration often takes 24 to 72 hours and we started Wednesday night.
Three words. “Empre Kosher Chicken”
Its a bit expensive, but the brining is already done for you.
Power boil some fingerling potatoes, 10 mins from cold.
Toss in some olive oil, Salt pepper and Garlic and put them in the bottom of a broiler pan.
Quater a whole broiler Chicken on the bone and lay flat on the broiler rack over the potatoes.
Cook at 450F about 60mins until the chicken is cooked.
The juice from the chicken flavors the potatoes. Its delicious.
The only way I’ve been able to get flavor onto the chicken breasts is to soak them in something flavorful and then grill them. For this salad, I would actually like the crunchy bits on edges. I’m partial to grilling sauces that have some lime in them for chicken.
The thing that makes ALL the difference to me is slicing the cooked chicken breast thinly on the bias. I like to make the salad and then top it with the chicken slices, so this allows me to give the chicken some grinds of salt and pepper and toss them separately, so they have some extra flavor when you put them in the Caesar. I don’t feel like the salt and pepper competes badly with the dressing.
Leftover steak sliced thinly on the bias and tossed with freshly ground salt and pepper is also really good on top of a salad. Sometimes I warm it once sliced, sometimes I don’t. But bleu cheese crumbles MAKE this salad.
I have a feeling that Americans like boneless, skinless chicken breast because they look the least like real chicken “meat.” Half the population would stop eating chicken if they actually had to buy a whole chicken, clean it, etc.
Hm, I think my comment must’ve gotten eaten. Boo!
The gist of it was, I heard of a technique on America’s Test Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated’s TV show on PBS) that was kind of like a dry brine. I’m going to explain this the best I can – You kind of make a dry rub with salt and other spices and put it on the chicken. The moisture in the chicken dissolves the salt and absorbs the salt – and the flavor of the other spices – into the meat. Hence! Flavorful meat. I’ve never actually tried it myself, but it was the episode with the spice-rubbed picnic chicken, I think.
I’ve totally heard of that too Nicole… the dry brine. I remember that episode!
Flavor or no flavor, your salad has me tempted to skip dessert and go straight for the salad!
A long time ago, Emeril had a recipe that I use frequently for flavorful chicken breasts. Pour buttermilk into a big baggie. Grate lemon peel into that same baggie. Add two tbsp honey and lots of fresh ground pepper. Marinate overnight or at least a few hours. Chicken is moist and has a delicate hint of lemon.
Hi Deb. I’ve lurked for a while and L-O-V-E your blog. Last night I tried your brine and my man loved it. I figured it would work out great because I use Alton Brown’s brine for my Thanksgiving turkey and always will. And I was not disappointed. I added some Tabasco sauce to the chicken brine and plan on adding other spices and such in the future.
OK, you’ve convinced me. I hate boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, but I’ll buy a small package. And I’ll brine them. However, if they turn out tasting like pressed sawdust, it’ll be on your head.
My family loves caesar salad by itself as a meal. There is little cleanup because it only uses one bowl.
The brining also works incredibly with steaks.
I brine the thanksgiving turkey as well. Usually with some bay leaves and rosemary added in the mix.
This sounds like a great alternative to the way I usually make my chicken caesar salad, and I’m looking forward to trying it. It’s my kids favorite meal!
Wow! I love a good Caesar dressing, but I’ve never considered subbing mayo for raw egg. *book marking this for later*
I couldn’t agree with you more about chicken and while brining is a good solution (and i think you can add flavor by adding spices, but that ain’t chicken flavor) i have found that I either need organic free range (need I say, REAL chicken) for flavor, OR trader Joes (I just happen to work there) has frozen chicken thighs. Yes, please and thankyou. I love chicken thighs.
Thank you for the salad dressing recipe!! I agree with the chicken too! Chicken thighs are just yummy!! And love your mayo for raw eggs version! (Raw eggs make me feel squishy now)
Hope you don’t mind that I have posted your recipe with credits in my private blog! It’s to help me recall recipes I have found all over!
I agree with you about the raw eggs in a dressing, but I’m not convinced that mayo belongs in a Caesar Salad recipe–too strangely astringent for me and my husband. We prefer this eggless recipe from epicurious that is 3 T lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, 1 T dijon, 3/4 cup olive oil. Whiz it in a food processor, add anchovy paste if you like, and grated parm and you’re done. Even my 3 year old loves it.
Can I exchange the lemon for some vinegar? I am allergic to lemon, and I am craving a yummy Caesar salad. :)
Just tried your Caesar dressing over the weekend and it was awesome! Thanks again for yet another big-time “keeper”. The part I like best is that it makes just enough for a large salad for 2. I’ve never had a problem or an aversion to using raw egg so I went with it (and the ‘chovies) and am still here to tell the tale. I buy my eggs the day they are laid from Cherry Grove farm near Princeton, NJ, just up the road from me. I love being able to see their chickens out in the fields pecking away. And they have this cool mobile chicken house that they move all over the farm — they attach it to a tractor and pull it along. I guess the chickens just follow along.
I LOVE Caesar Salad. I make my dressing with hard boiled eggs. Makes the most flavorful, and creamiest dressing ever. And plus then, you don’t have to feel paranoid about the raw egg. :)
Deb: Have you tried Jeffrey’s Meats @ the Essex Street Market? I get boneless – skinned – chicken breasts ALL the time – and swear by them. Plump (unless you want them butterflied). Juicy! I try never to buy in the supermarket anymore. Ask for Mr. Silva – Jeffrey’s best butcher. I think he’s even better than Jeffrey. Bottom line: Do I HAVE to brine?! Not unless it’s absolutely necessary…and I say Jeffrey’s let’s you skip this step. P.S. He’s really priced reasonably.
Hey Deb, wondering if you could help me out… I am allergic to mustard. It makes me weep on an almost daily basis, as it’s included in so many things I would love! I would love to make this, and I know that 1/2 a teaspoon of mustard is not much, and I could leave out etc. However, is there anything you might be able to recommend that might give that tiny little flavoursome punch? Something that won’t push me into the throes of death, but equally takes the place of that little missing taste? Thank you!
Laura — Perhaps some smooth horseradish?
I brined the Thanksgiving turkey for the first time this year. Kept it brining for 2 days. Rave reviews abounded, as it was eaten up quicker than any other turkey I’ve made. I’m doing it again for Christmas. I can’t believe how big of a difference it makes in ANY meat (I’ve heard seafood can be brined, as well). Love your blog. I’m about far away from opening my own bakery.
It left out the “this” I had in there. Guess it didn’t like my odd characters. Anyway, love the recipes. Keep ’em comin’!!
I love your blog – have been addicted for quite some time now. I just discovered this post recently, and I’m looking forward to trying your recipe for caesar dressing, sans egg. I’m pregnant and really missing all of my favorite creamy salad dressings which, of course, I’m not eating now because of the raw egg. I searched through your recipe archive but didn’t find any other creamy salad dressing recipes without egg. Would really love it if you’d share more!!! Thanks!
Great dressing – made it as directed and added to a bowl of homemade croutons from homemade bread (!), romaine, parmesan, and some less traditional watercress and cabbage – fridge purge style. It was excellent!
I need to read up on brines (their purpose and application), but do you think one could defrost chicken in the brine, in the style of killing two birds with one bowl? Or would that be too much time in the salt water? Thanks!
So, ever since experimenting with brining chicken I have TOTALLY embraced it and won’t ever look back. Not only does it make an error-less meal taste ten times more delicious, but it’s so forgiving for those sub-cooking-par meals. Since I freeze most chicken parts, i’ve taken to defrosting the chicken in the salt water solution – it’s definitely tricky in terms of determining salt content, but worth it (do I even have to say that the risk of my meal being slightly over-salted completely outweighs the risk of it being leathery and tasteless?) Thanks deb!
As you, I totally dislike grilled chicken fillets or similar. Until I found out that brining chicken breasts in milk for 30 minutes could really make the difference. By the way, this suggestion was made by Ferran Adriá, and read it somewhere some years ago. This week I’ll try your Waldorf chicken salad. Signed… a Mexican BIG fan of yours in Madrid.
Made with egg yolk and tenderloin-not-brined. It was exceptionally delicious.
As has been typical of late, I googled a recipe, and scanned through the results until I found one from your website! Your recipes have been my go-to if it’s something I haven’t made before, but you have. Tonight it was the Caesar salad dressing (sans raw egg), which has now become my favourite salad dressing; recently, it has also been your thousand layer lasagna with fresh tomato sauce, and also your lemon loaf. All turned out perfectly! Thanks for such a wonderful blog. I’m looking forward to buying your book, but I hope you don’t stop blogging!
Hooray for a super caesar dressing without creepy raw eggs and nasty fishies! Our Saturday pizza tonight was nothing less than mind-blowing: white pizza with grilled chicken and red onion, topped post-oven with romaine, parmesan and a swirl of the dressing. Out of this world. This puppy is going into some serious rotation. Thanks!
I made this tonight for friends with great results and feedback. However, I followed the recipe for the dressing exactly and it was a bit sweet also it wasn’t the colour of regular Caesar dressing it was mustardy in colour – I don’t know if that’s normal or not. It was still good but I’ll probably go back to good ol’ Paul Newman next time.
The brining was a revelation- but I agree with Deb, moisture isn’t the same as flavour.
I made my own croutons with preparation I made up on the spot (sourdough drizzled with olive oil, minced garlic and parmesan then baked) – it had never occurred to me before to make them myself. Store-bought ones will never compare again!!
My husband LOVES caesar salad dressing! This would be perfect for packing him lunch. But Deb! Do you have a time frame for how long the homemade dressing would keep in the fridge?
I love Caesar and my husband and I eat it every week. May I make one small suggestion for a twist on taste. Do not add the lemon juice in the blender. The dressing will come out thick, that is good. Instead, squeeze the lemon over your lettuce before you add the dressing. ZING! Talk about a taste bud delight. Also make your own croutons. I use cracked wheat sourdough. I put pam or olive oil on them and make them nice and peppery. Toast them for 15 – 17 min at 400 deg, I use my toaster oven. Add that to the mix and it is DEVINE!!
Please tell me how you made those incredible looking croutons. I followed the link but only saw the soup and caesar dressing.
Mom24 — Yes, I made the croutons but I don’t think I have a recipe for it. Just old bread, cubed, tossed in olive oil and seasoning and toasted (keeping a close eye) in the oven, tossing them around until they’re a nice color on all sides. Delicious with parmesan and lemon zest, too, especially for a Caesar salad.
Hi Deb! I was looking for your Isreali Salad recipe but the link isnt working! Please look into this as yours is amazing.
Title should be Chicken and Caesar salad dressing, as there’s naught here about the salad part….
Here’s my question: can one dry-brine boneless skinless chicken breasts? I’ve become a huge fan of drybrined turkey vs wet brine. Is skin necessary in order dry brine?
Yes, that’s what I used. No skin necessary, in fact, the texture of it wouldn’t be terribly appealing afterward anyway.
This is the best/easiest/yummiest Caesar dressing ever! No one ever misses the anchovies! Amazing on a kale Caesar too.
Long time reader, here! I’ve always really enjoyed your blog and cookbooks (have both and *loooooooooove* the oatmeal chocolate chip recipe in sk everyday that just makes 2 cookies! Exactly what I’ve always been searching for, and I didn’t even know it!) but never felt compelled to comment until I followed this recipe last night and was blown away! It was my first time brining, and I’ll never, ever go back. Such delicious, juicy chicken. I swear, I kept trying to cook with boneless skinless chicken breasts and they always turned out so tasteless and dry. Never again, thanks to you, Deb!
Thank you for all of your hard work! I really enjoy your blog.
Might I suggest subbing baked croutons for cubes of grilled bread? Turing on the oven deflates my appreciation for summer grilling.
Love you and your site :)
Good point! You can tell that each portion of the recipe is from a different era. You could oil and season thick slices of bread, grill them, and *then* cube them, which I do often and it also tastes so good because grilled bread gets little charred corners.
What…no anchovies ! Otherwise it looks yummy.
I have been brining for years (a mixture of salt and sugar with bay leaves, crushed pepper flakes or Juniper berries)…chicken, pork chops and tenderloins, swordfish, tuna etc. For fish I only do two hours in the brine. And, don’t forget to rinse and watch the amount of salt in the preparation.
PS In light of the recent Romaine scare, I have been using “living” Butter Lettuce in my Caesar salads. It does not have the crunch of Romaine; however it works and you will live to see another day.
Double this dressing recipe and keep it in the fridge for ALL OF THE THINGS. You will not regret it.
Also not one for chicken breasts as I am 100% a dark meat girl, I’ve been craving this salad for several weeks now (it’s the height of summer). I have made the brined chicken breasts both on the grill and quick sear in the cast iron skillet. They’re both amazing! I’m a total brine convert!
No, no, no! WHERE are the anchovies?! A proper Caesar Salad has anchovies in the dressing. You can do it properly without the chicken but you cannot do it properly without anchovies!
I literally describe this dressing in the headnotes as “hopelessly inauthentic caesar salad dressing.” It makes no claims otherwise. That said, there are anchovies in Worcestershire.
Comment on the chicken only – made this salad without the croutons, and used leftover dressing from our fave pizza delivery place, but I grilled chicken for salads this week using this recipe and IT WAS AMAZING. Seriously flavorful and moist. We brine turkey at Thanksgiving; I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to brine chicken breasts before. Thanks, Deb!
The caesar dressing was one of those things I threw together tonight and then immediately started texting the ingredients to all of my friends. So fast, so easy, SO good. Thanks!
This recipe was a complete hit! Loved by everyone. Easy dinner. Croutons were delicious; chicken breasts will never be cooked without brining again and the dressing was just right. This recipe is a keeper!
This caesar dressing is so amazing, we never used to make caesar salad and now we’re making it at least 1-2x/week. We’ve tried it with both anchovy paste from a tube and just now filets from a can (we made a triple batch and immersion blended it) and have been very happy!
I cooked chicken this way a couple of times now and it always turns out delicious. Amazing! I have noticed that mine takes longer to cook through than the max 10 minutes listed here. I tried pounding things to an even thickness but still no luck. Maybe still too thick? Is there a thickness that worked well for you? Did you use chicken tenders and not breast?
Watch a vid on butterflied breasts, it’s easy and works great for many things.
how long does the dressing keep for? it’s so yummy!
I am definitely going to make your Caesar salad dressing. Anchovies, yes please, plus more for the salad! My entire Chicken Caesar salad is inauthentic lol. Always add bacon, thinly sliced red onion, sliced black olives, and grape or cherry tomatoes. What can I say? It’s how the family loves it.
I made the dressing tonight at our weekley movie night dinner and it was a big hit! SO YUMMY! I will use this again for sure. Thank you!
How can I cook the chicken on the stovetop? In a very hot cast iron pan?
Sure!
Happy accident (serving 2) — Forgetting to add the oil produced a sharp, lemony dressing that coated a half head of romaine perfectly. Repeated the next day generated equally superior results and will now become the default recipe. Thanks!?! ;-)
This is a great recipe. I would at least double the dressing, it’s delicious and I think it would keep a week. We are just two, sheltering in place right now, so it’s nice to have leftovers. Thanks.
Use a dry brine (think the “Judy bird”) and you can flavor while brining. There are lots of good recipes out there mostly aimed at turkey (which I think has no flavor), but which work well on chicken or pork.
Thanks for this! I had some leftover dijon grilled chicken from the weekend, which made this a perfect Monday meal. The dressing was delicious. I happened to have some garlic scapes and minced a small amount in place of a garlic clove. We also followed the make-your-own plan (always a winner in family dinner) since kiddo does not like dressing.
Yep, that dressing is the best! I dump all the ingredients into one of those blenders you use to make smoothies and blast it all into a smooth Caesar dressing that can make any salad delicious.
We really enjoyed this salad. I used Worcestershire sauce for the dressing. It was so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
I love reading your comments about each recipe!
I have made the taco torte twice in the past couple of months…and will again (as I still have 1/2 pkg of the original purchase of flour tortillas (my neighbor had picked up a double pkg at Costoc and she gifted one section to me).
I look forward to trying your boneless skinless chicken breasts cooking method…as I have them in the freezer (probably even drier!).
Never mayonnaise in Caesar Salad dressing! And anchovies are a must!
I made this salad the other night for my family and everyone LOVED it and can’t wait until I make it again!! My Husband is super picky about Caesar Salad dressing and even he gave it a 5 star review. I didn’t see the addition of Parmesan cheese in the salad recipe, but noticed the large shavings in your picture… so I did the same before I served it. My daughter and I are gluten free, so I made the croutons with a gluten free baguette. No one knew the difference. Yum!! And SO easy!!
This Caesar dressing is delicious, easy and so good!
You are right, hardly authentic, in fact, should not even be called a Caesar Salad! Missing the coddled egg and the anchovy paste as you know, two key ingredients!
Have lots of your great recipes saved, this is not one of them. Cheers!
This is a great quick & substantial caesar! I had to use light mayo because it was the only kind I had and the dressing was still delicious.
A shortcut to brining is to use kosher chicken. The process of koshering involves salting the meat unabashedly. I can taste the difference.
I only made the dressing for our dinner salad last night and it was great! Not a true Caesar dressing, which I make in my food processor) but fabulous just the same. I will make the full salad recipe at a later date.
The Caesar salad is amazing! I had some store bought croutons on hand, but decided to make croutons with your recipe and you were so right- crunchy on the outside chewy on the inside. The dressing was wonderful!! I shared this with my sister and she has shared with a friend who shared with her sister. Thanks!!!
This dressing is really great! I used it on a kale caesar salad, and omitted the mayo because I didn’t have any. It was still amazing. I put the cheese in the salad instead of on the croutons. Definitely a keeper of a recipe.
Oh, I didn’t try chicken caesar salad Recipe. Now I can make it at home. So glad for sharing this recipe Now I can make it at home. It looks delicious. Now I can share your blog with my friend circle. I am so glad after seeing your recipe, Thanks for sharing this recipe. Food is one of the biggest topics of conversation online and offline. Keep it up, I am waiting for your next recipe!
Excellent as a pizza topping as well.
I don’t understand the brine the breast so you have juicy yet flavourless protein. Stick with delicious thighs!
I will.
The *best* Caesar dressing ever. Full stop.
I made this last night and it was so delicious. The croutons and chicken, the dressing! all of it. Just a great meal for a late summer evening! Thanks as always, Deb!
Thanks for capturing the gist of Caesar dressing, Deb. I made the dressing to spec but the chicken was leftovers. The croutons were made in a skillet on the stovetop, and the lemon zest is just genius!
Air fryer has changed my life… chicken cooked in it with a brush of olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, always moist.
I’m not a huge fan of Caesars Salad except when I make the classic Cardini version. I love the story behind the recipe. This is a wonderful version and my new favorite. Even without the anchovies, which I love, the dressing is sublime. Worcestershire is a really good sub. I’m convinced, brining us the way to go. This brine is gentle but powerful and i only gave it 30 minutes. Brava! I’ll make this again and again.
I just made this salad (without chicken, but will add next time). This is a delicious Caesar Salad! Sometimes the dressing can be problematic and I have never liked bottled ones, but this one was spot on. I used the Worcestershire Sauce because I had it on hand. I will double the dressing recipe in the future because it was such a hit. Highly recommend.
I love your blog!! Making this tonight and I don’t like Mayo (i’m the only one but force everyone to adopt my non-mayo mantra). Can I sub plain Greek yogurt? Thank you!
Hi Gayle – I used veganaise brand vegan mayo and it worked and it was delicious.
The dressing is truly incredible and so so so easy/fast – I used one anchovy. The croutons keep in a sealed Tupperware or similar container. Caesar salad is truly my favorite and this was the first time I made it at home! HIGHLY recommend this recipe. We skipped the chicken, so can’t speak to that, but the zillion other reviews indicate that it’s probably a good idea.
Do you rinse the chicken post brine? Or just remove and pat dry?
Just chiming in to say how much my family enjoys this recipe! The dressing is flavorful without being too heavy and the garlic and lemon zest make the croutons very moreish. And the brining is a brilliant strategy. We’ve done this with both chicken and salmon, and both pair perfectly with the salad.
Best chicken Caesar salad we have ever had! Best croutons (made with homemade bread), great dressing and chicken breasts that were tender, moist and flavorful! Well worth the time. Definitely going to be one of my summer “go to.”
What? No anchovies? I understand replacing mayo for the raw egg in the dressing. Good/safe thinking but omitting anchovies? Not even an optional addition? Can’t do it. BTW, if you want a GREAT Caesar prepared tableside…Sardi’s in the theater district. I have to get one when I visit NYC.
Surprised you haven’t done the brining thing before.
Since I Grill,Barbecue and Smoke brining is a way of life 😅
That being said for the Salad Protein I prefer Turkey Thighs.
Better flavor than any yardbird Brest brined or otherwise.
I soooo agree. When did the meat case change to only boneless breasts? Oh my. I will try brining though, to me, the bone is what gives the chicken flavor and moisture
I made chicken Caesar Salad tonight too! Now I need to make your dressing! Thanks
Wow! We made this today for Mother’s Day lunch and everyone loved it! The chicken was so moist.
Made this salad tonight for the first time. When I made the croutons I added 2 more cloves of garlic and I loved the lemon zest addition. Brined the chicken for 2 hours and then I sautéed the chicken stove top. Loved LOVED Loved this salad. The dressing is so easy and DELISH!! Best Salad! Thank you
While I like chicken Caesar salad, I rarely eat it out because the chicken is usually dry and tough and the dressing is meh.
This recipe is perfection. I had guests, all of whom raved about it, and there was so little left that is was a meager lunch for the next day.
I have been making the dressing for a while to great success, but just added the chicken which was moist and flavorful. Don’t skip the squeeze of lemon, just the right touch.
This is already on my requested rotation.
So easy and so good! Spontaneously made this to go with takeout pizza when having some friends over, and everyone loved it. Let’s just say there were leftovers of the pizza, but not a bit of this salad went ignored.
Bonus, I doubled the chicken and reserved some to use in other meals for the week ahead, and I’m already thanking my last self for that choice.
Do you pound and/or butterfly the chicken at any time?
Yes, it took time to pull this together-but what a delightful meal it made! I am collecting salad dressing recipes because we eat salad with every dinner after a severe health scare. Steve always avoided salad dressing until the dietician told him that simple homemade dressings can help to release the vitamins and good stuff in the vegetables. I will have to hide the rest of the croutons because I could just eat them out of hand. And brining the chicken breasts-game changer! This will be in the rotation for the foreseeable future! Thanks!
Hello, I have made this three times, for family outings to parks and beach. I pan-sear the chicken breats and add extra anchovies to the sauce. Croutons are very tasty, especially with lemon zest and parmesean. Great recipe!
I find the salad dressing delicious, but a bit thin. What can be done to thicken it a bit?
I am looking forward to trying out this caesar recipe. A nice pairing with a comforting soup, now that the weather is beginning to change–a bit! I love seeing that little hand in the photo sneaking a crouton. That was definitely me when I was little and my girl now!