Caesar Salad
A proper Caesar comes down to the dressing, and that means anchovies, raw egg and a slow stream of oil whisked in until it actually emulsifies. Nothing bottled comes close once you’ve made it this way.
Torn sourdough roasted with olive oil beats anything cut into neat cubes, you get more texture and more crisp edges. Bacon roasted on its own tray at the same time means one less pan and one less thing to think about.
Seared chicken, shaved parmesan, and a soft poached egg on top if you want to take it further. Serves four, and it’s the kind of salad that actually feels like a full meal.
Caesar Salad
CAESAR SALAD · CHICKEN · SALAD · EASY
A real dressing, not a bottle from the fridge door
Whisking the oil in slowly is what gives this dressing its thick, glossy texture. Rush it and it splits, take your time and you get something genuinely close to restaurant quality.
Roasting the croutons instead of frying them means less oil overall and a more even, reliable crunch, without needing to babysit a pan.
And with seared chicken and a poached egg on top, this stops being a side salad and turns into something you'd actually order as a main.
Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 Chicken Breasts Skinless
- 15 ml Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Caesar Dressing
- 1 Garlic Clove Grated
- 5 Anchovy Fillets Minced
- 1 Whole Egg
- 5 g Dijon Mustard
- 30 ml Olive Oil
- 100 ml Neutral Oil
- 22 ml Lemon Juice
- 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano Grated
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Salad
- 2 Romaine (Cos) Lettuces Sliced
- 150 g Streaky Bacon
Croutons
- 5 Slices Sourdough or Crusty Bread
- 22 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Optional Finish
- 2 Whole Eggs Poached
- Parmigiano Reggiano Shaved or Grated
- Cracked Black Pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Tear the sourdough into rough bite-sized pieces, place on a lined tray, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Lay the streaky bacon on a separate tray. Roast both for about 12 minutes until the croutons are golden and crisp and the bacon is cooked. Set aside.
- For the dressing, add the garlic, anchovies, egg, dijon mustard and grated parmesan to a bowl or blender. Mix to form a paste. Slowly stream in the olive oil, then the vegetable oil, while whisking continuously until thick and emulsified. Stir through the lemon juice and cracked black pepper. Chill until ready to use.
- Season the chicken breasts well with salt and cracked black pepper. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and reaching an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Rest for a few minutes, then slice into thick strips.
- Slice the cooked bacon. Add the chopped romaine lettuce to a large bowl with the croutons and bacon. Spoon over the caesar dressing and toss gently until evenly coated.
- If using, poach the eggs in gently simmering water for about 2 ½ minutes for a soft yolk.
- Serve the caesar salad into bowls, top with sliced chicken, shaved parmesan, and extra cracked black pepper. Finish with the poached egg if using.
Is it safe to eat raw egg in the dressing?⌄
Use pasteurised eggs if you can get them, it removes most of the risk while keeping the dressing exactly the same. If you're pregnant, elderly, very young, or have a compromised immune system, it's worth skipping raw egg dressings altogether or using a pasteurised egg product specifically.
Can I make the dressing without raw egg?⌄
Yes, swap the whole egg or yolks for 2-3 tablespoons of good quality store-bought mayonnaise as your emulsion base, then build the rest of the dressing around it the same way.
Can I make any of this ahead of time?⌄
The dressing, chicken and bacon can all be made ahead and kept separately in the fridge. Keep the croutons in an airtight container so they stay crisp, and only toss everything together right before serving.
Can I use store-bought croutons instead?⌄
You can, but homemade ones from torn sourdough have a lot more texture and pick up the roasted bacon flavour from being on the tray nearby. Worth the extra ten minutes if you have it.
