Everyone loves a good Caesar salad – creamy, crunchy, and totally dependable. But after visiting a food truck that added grilled broccoli to the mix, everything changed. That smoky charred broccoli brought a whole new layer of flavor. Bold, earthy, and just the right amount of crunch. It’s the umph you never knew your Caesar needed. Toss it with juicy grilled chicken, crisp romaine, shaved Parmesan, and garlicky croutons, and you've got a fresh twist on a classic that’s anything but ordinary.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the Oven: to 350 degrees.
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasonings, and honey and pour over chicken in a bowl or ziploc bag. Set aside to marinate.
- Toast the Croutons: Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and then spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t clean out the bowl. Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes, flipping halfway to ensure all sides get crispy and golden brown.
- Roast the Broccoli: In the same bowl that you used for the bread crumbs, toss the broccoli with olive oil, a big squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Don’t clean out the bowl. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes on the same baking sheet previously used to cook the croutons.
- Prepare Lettuce: Wash and chop the lettuce and put it in the bowl you used to toss the breadcrumbs and the broccoli.
- Cook the Chicken: While the broccoli is cooking, heat a pan on medium heat and, once hot, add the chicken breasts. Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook another 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees). Set aside to rest for a few minutes then slice against the grain of the meat into strips.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the croutons and broccoli back to the bowl of lettuce. Toss to combine all ingredients then add the dressing and toss again. Add additional black pepper, if desired.
- Serve: Lay the chicken on top, and sprinkling cheese to finish.
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