Chicken Caesar Salad with Cashew Caesar Dressing
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This lightened up Chicken Caesar Salad recipe features an easy homemade cashew caesar dressing, healthy grilled chicken & gluten free parmesan crisps!
If you’re looking for a keto or low carb alternative to the classic caesar salad, then this recipe is for you! It only takes 25 minutes to make this recipe (including preparing the homemade dressing!) and it’s perfect for meal prepping or an easy weeknight dinner.
Today’s post is sponsored by my friends at Vons.
The almighty caesar salad, a classic salad that has stood the test of time. It has everything you could want on a salad, creamy dressing, crispy croutons and tons of flavor!
With just a few small changes, I’ve made this classic salad healthier without losing the creamy dressing, crispy toppings or most importantly, all the flavor!
I swapped out croutons and grated parmesan cheese for Open Nature® Parmesan Cheese Crisps. And I promise, you won’t miss the croutons AT ALL because these cheese crisps are SO delicious!
For the caesar dressing, I made the base with cashews. Once soaked and blended, cashews make a deliciously creamy salad dressing base. I added lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to give the dressing that wonderful caesar flavor!
I grilled Open Nature Chicken Breasts, tossed in the homemade caesar dressing, to top off the salad. Open Nature Chicken Breasts are air chilled for more intense flavor and add a lean, healthy protein to this salad.
Overall, this salad is healthier, and I have to say, even BETTER than a classic caesar salad!
Table of contents
Step by step instructions
- Prepare the caesar salad dressing.
- Soak cashews in water for 8-10 hours, either overnight or while you’re at work for the day.
- Add the soaked cashews to a blender or food processor with water, olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add garlic, sea salt and black pepper.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Refrigerate until ready to prepare the salad.
- Quick tip! The caesar salad dressing will stay good in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
- Prepare the grilled chicken.
- Season one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper, or 1 teaspoon chicken seasoning.
- Toss with a tablespoon of the prepared caesar salad dressing.
- Grill for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board, then slice into strips for the salad.
- Toss the salad together.
- Chop up two romaine hearts and place the chopped lettuce in a large bowl.
- Toss the romaine lettuce with the remaining cashew caesar dressing.
- Top with the grilled chicken and parmesan cheese crisps.
How many calories are in the salad?
A traditional chicken caesar salad at a national restaurant chain contains 770 calories per serving. While this grilled chicken caesar salad contains only 345 calories per serving. Lightening up the salad dressing plays a huge part in making this caesar salad a healthier option.
Can I meal prep the salad?
Yes! This caesar salad is perfect for meal prep. The salad dressing and chicken can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to eat the salad, simply toss the romaine lettuce with the dressing and top with the grilled chicken and parmesan cheese crisps.
In less than 5 minutes, you have a healthy, delicious lunch or dinner option!
The O Organics and Open Nature products featured in this recipe are available in my area exclusively at Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions stores.
You can also find them exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including ACME Markets, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets and Carrs/Safeway. Visit Vons.com to find a store near you and discover meal prep tips and recipe ideas.
All of the O Organics products are offered at a great value compared to leading national organic brands. And with so many O Organic products to choose from, it makes eating organic at home easy and affordable!
You can also feel good about feeding your family all of the Open Nature products, as they’re free from 110 food additives like nitrates, benzoates, artificial flavors and preservatives.
Try clean Open Nature products and USDA certified organic O Organics products exclusively at Albertsons Companies family of stores and online. VISIT www.vons.com/exclusivebrands.
More keto recipes to try
- Egg Muffins
- Korean BBQ Cauliflower Rice Bowl
- Lemon Herb Salmon
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
- Bruschetta Salmon
- Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Low Carb Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins
Chicken Caesar Salad with Cashew Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
Cashew Caesar Dressing
- ½ cup O Organics Roasted, Unsalted Cashews, soaked 8-10 hours
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Grilled Chicken
- 1 lb Open Nature Air Chilled, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cashew caesar dressing
Caesar Salad
- 2 romaine hearts, app 12 oz – chopped
- ½ cup cashew caesar dressing
- ½ cup Open Nature Parmesan Cheese Crisps
Instructions
Cashew Caesar Dressing
- Soak cashews in water for 8-10 hours.
- Drain the cashews from the water and transfer to a blender.
- Add the water, olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper to the blender with the cashews.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Grilled Chicken.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.
- Toss the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper and caesar dressing.
- Grill until golden brown, 5-6 minutes per side.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken breasts into strips.
Caesar Salad
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped romaine lettuce with the remaining prepared cashew caesar dressing, approximately ½ cup.
- Top with the grilled chicken and parmesan cheese crisps.
Notes
- Meal Prep: the caesar salad dressing and grilled chicken can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve the salad, making this salad perfect for meal prep!
- Gluten Free: this salad is gluten free. Always make sure the Worcestershire sauce used in the salad dressing is labeled gluten free.
Nutrition Facts
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