americanketochickensaladquickbeginnerlow-carbpan-seared

Chicken Caesar Salad

Name: Chicken Caesar Salad
Prep time: 6 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 300 g chicken breast, boneless skinless; 80 g bacon; 10 ml olive oil; 3 g fine salt; 2 g black pepper, freshly ground; 60 g mayonnaise; 25 g Parmesan, finely grated; 15 ml lemon juice; 5 g Dijon mustard; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated; 5 ml Worcestershire sauce; 1 g black pepper, freshly ground; 1 g fine salt; 250 g romaine lettuce; 20 g Parmesan, shaved or finely grated; 1 g lemon zest

This Chicken Caesar Salad is crisp, creamy, salty, and deeply satisfying, with warm slices of pan-seared chicken, smoky bacon, and plenty of Parmesan over crunchy romaine. The dressing is rich and tangy with lemon, garlic, and Worcestershire, giving you all the classic Caesar flavour in a keto-friendly bowl.

15 min

2 servings

585 kcal

American

Ingredients

Chicken and bacon

300 gchicken breast, boneless skinless
80 gbacon
10 mlolive oil
3 gfine salt
2 gblack pepper, freshly ground

Caesar dressing

60 gmayonnaise
25 gParmesan, finely grated
15 mllemon juice
5 gDijon mustard
1 small clove (3 g)garlic, finely grated
5 mlWorcestershire sauce
1 gblack pepper, freshly ground
1 gfine salt

Salad and finish

250 gromaine lettuce
20 gParmesan, shaved or finely grated
1 glemon zest

Instructions

1
Pat the chicken dry and season it on both sides with the fine salt and black pepper. Wash and dry the romaine thoroughly, then chop or tear it into bite-size pieces. A dry lettuce base keeps the dressing creamy instead of watery.
2
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning as needed, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Leave about 1 teaspoon of bacon fat in the pan for extra flavour.
3
Add the olive oil to the same pan if needed, then cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden and cooked through. The centre should reach 74 C or be opaque with clear juices. Rest the chicken for 2 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
4
While the chicken cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, finely grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and fine salt until smooth. Taste and adjust with a little more lemon if you want a sharper dressing.
5
Crumble or chop the bacon. In a large bowl, toss the romaine with most of the dressing until lightly and evenly coated; reserve a spoonful for drizzling if desired.
6
Divide the dressed romaine between 2 plates or bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, bacon, shaved Parmesan, and lemon zest. Spoon over the remaining dressing and serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and the lettuce is crisp.

Nutrition per serving

585 kcal

Calories

55g

Protein

Carbs

36g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For a true beginner-friendly 15-minute version, use thin chicken cutlets so they cook faster and more evenly.
•If your bacon is very fatty, you may not need all of the olive oil for the chicken.
•To keep carbs low, skip croutons entirely; shaved Parmesan adds texture without breaking keto goals.
•A salad spinner is useful here: very dry romaine makes a noticeably better Caesar salad.

Background

Caesar salad was created in the 1920s by restaurateur Caesar Cardini, most famously associated with Tijuana and later popularized across North America. The classic version did not originally include chicken or bacon, but both became common American additions, especially in entrée-style salads. This keto adaptation keeps the rich, savory character while omitting croutons.

Love this recipe?

Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.

Download Gourmate – Free