Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Why This Is Strictly Keto

A Caesar is one bread crouton away from being naturally keto. Leave those off and what remains — romaine, grilled chicken, shaved Parmesan and a dressing of egg yolk, anchovy, garlic, lemon and olive oil — is all whole food and very low in carbs. This dressing is made from scratch, so there are no added sugars or seed-oil fillers, and the extra Parmesan on top does the job the croutons used to do for crunch and salt.

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 romaine hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese, plus more to finish

Caesar Dressing

• 2 egg yolks
• 4 anchovy fillets, minced (or 1 tablespoon anchovy paste)
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Season and grill the chicken: Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through (165°F internal). Rest 5 minutes, then slice.

2. Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, anchovies, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice and Worcestershire. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Whisk in the grated Parmesan and season with black pepper.

3. Toss the salad: Place the chopped romaine in a large bowl. Add enough dressing to lightly coat and toss well. Add the shaved Parmesan and toss again.

4. Serve: Divide among plates, top with the sliced grilled chicken, and finish with more shaved Parmesan and black pepper.

Nutritional Info (per serving, approximate)

Tips

• Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before grilling so they cook through without drying out.
• If raw egg yolks are a concern, use 1/3 cup mayonnaise in their place — the dressing is still rich and thick.
• Dress the romaine just before serving; it wilts fast once the dressing is on.