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Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

A Caesar salad usually gets its creaminess from mayonnaise or a lot of oil. This dressing uses Greek yogurt, with Parmesan, anchovy and garlic for the punchy flavour, so it still tastes like a proper Caesar. Make the dressing first.

Lunch

30

Serves 2

Chicken Caesar salad with sliced grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, croutons, shaved Parmesan and a creamy dressing

Ingredients

  • 2 skinless chicken breasts (about 300g in total)
  • 2 tsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp for the croutons
  • Half a tsp smoked paprika and black pepper
  • 2 small slices wholemeal or sourdough bread (60g), cut into cubes
  • 1 large or 2 small heads romaine (cos) lettuce (about 300g)
  • For the dressing
  • 100g 0% fat Greek yogurt
  • 15g Parmesan, finely grated, plus 10g shaved to serve
  • 2 anchovy fillets, very finely chopped
  • 1 small clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp olive oil and a splash of water to loosen

Method

  1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together, adding a little water until it pours like double cream. Taste and add black pepper; it should not need salt. Chill while you cook.
  2. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Toss the bread cubes with 1 tsp of oil and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and golden.
  3. Put the chicken breasts between two sheets of baking paper and bash them with a rolling pin to an even thickness of about 2cm, so they cook evenly. Rub with 2 tsp of oil, the paprika and black pepper.
  4. Heat a griddle or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes a side, until cooked through, with no pink meat and clear juices. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
  5. Cut the lettuce into wide strips, wash and dry it well. Dry leaves are important, or the dressing slides off.
  6. Toss the lettuce with most of the dressing. Divide between plates, add the chicken and croutons, drizzle over the rest of the dressing and finish with the shaved Parmesan.

Why it works

A serving has about 52g of protein for around 440 calories, which makes it one of the most protein-dense meals on this site. Almost half of its energy comes from protein, mostly from the chicken.

Where the calories are saved. A classic Caesar dressing is an emulsion of oil and egg yolk, and many shop-bought versions are made with mayonnaise. Swapping most of that for Greek yogurt keeps the creamy texture with far less fat, and the yogurt adds protein of its own.

The flavour comes from three salty ingredients: Parmesan, anchovies and mustard. That is why there is no added salt. Anchovies are a traditional part of the dressing; leave them out if you prefer, and add a few capers instead.

Low in carbohydrate, high in protein. That combination is why this is tagged for blood sugar. If you train hard or want a bigger lunch, add a tin of cannellini beans or a portion of cooked new potatoes.

Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet. The croutons contain gluten; use gluten-free bread if you need to. For another high-protein salad, try the steak, rocket and Parmesan salad. For why protein matters more as you get older, see strength training in midlife.