Easy Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

Are you ready to put a Cajun twist on this delicious homemade Chicken Caesar salad? A beloved classic Caesar salad, known for its crisp romaine lettuce, creamy dressing, parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons, will be totally transformed with the addition of a spicy Cajun seasoned piece of chicken. This Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad is one of our favorite meals. Super easy, everything is made from scratch and a meal that fits any season-lunch or dinner.

Why you will love this Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

• Packed full of southern spices giving your salad the next level of zing.
• Rich, creamy and full of flavor homemade salad dressing.
• You control the amount of sodium added to the chicken and to the dressing.
• Using Homemade Mayo, is not only the easiest thing you have ever made, it is much healthier when compared to store bought mayo.

Tips on Seasoning Chicken

My husband isn’t big on salads, but this is one dish that he requests often. So much, that I have preseason chicken breasts frozen in the freezer and ready to go at any time. We raise and butcher our chickens, so I spend one day pre-seasoning and portioning ready-to-go meals. Not only is it satisfying to know we raise our own meat and are able to control their feed and living situations, but having freezer meals prepped makes meat time that much easier. It is a real-time saver! You could also do this by purchasing chicken breasts in bulk when they go on sale.

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Ingredients you will need:

• Chicken Breast – organic is best
• Romaine Lettuce – organic or local grown
• Spices (salt, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, fine ground black pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes)
• Fresh Garlic Cloves (or Epicure Minced Garlic)
• Lemon Juice
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• Parmesan Cheese
• Anchovy Paste
• Mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt- Homemade is best
• Epicure Caesar Salad Dressing Mix – my secret ingredient

Tools You Will Need to make Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

• Marinating tray or glass dish
• Container and lid for Cajun Seasoning Blend (my favorite)
• Container and lid for Homemade Caesar Dressing (my favorite)
• Immersion Blender
• Barbeque, frying pan or Ninja Grill

Steps to Making Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

1. Make your Cajun seasoning:

In a glass jar, with lid, combine: 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp cayenne pepper; ½ tsp pepper; ½ tsp onion powder; ½ tsp oregano; ½ tsp thyme; and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Shake to combine.

Since we use this recipe as much as we do, I make a larger batch and store it in a glass jar. Just double, triple or quadruple the recipe. This is another time saver because I do not have to complete the same task repeatedly.

 

2. Prepare the chicken:

Pound your chicken breast, using a meat pounder, to flatten the chicken breasts to be the same thickness.

Sprinkle chicken breast liberally with Cajun seasoning blend and rub. Flip chicken breast over, sprinkle with Cajun seasoning blend and rub. 

3. Make Caesar Salad Dressing

I like to use a deep container or mason jar when making this dressing as it makes it much easier to use the immersion blender without making a big mess. In a container or a mason jar, combine 1 cup of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt; 2 minced garlic cloves (or 1 tsp of Epicure Minced Garlic); 1 tsp anchovy paste; 2 TBSP lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; and 2 TBSP Caesar Salad Dressing Mix. Blend with an immersion blender until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Let the dressing sit for a few hours as it helps to develop more flavor.

4. Prepare the lettuce

Next, I like to soak and wash my lettuce in 8-10 cups of cold water along with 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry your lettuce. I like to use a salad spinner. This is key to not having a soggy salad. Once your lettuce is dry, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

5. Cook the Chicken

Cook the seasoned chicken on the barbeque, in a preheated frying pan, or on a Ninja Grill to a temperature of 165. I love my Ninja Grill because it has its own thermometer, tells you when to flip it, and shuts off when it is done.

6. Assemble your Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad.

Toss the lettuce with the dressing until it’s evenly coated, then top with sliced Cajun chicken, croutons (how to make your own), and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy the deliciously spicy twist on a classic Caesar salad!

Special Tools (affiliate links): Meat Pounder  | Immersion Blender | Ninja Grill |  Minced Garlic | Caesar Salad Dressing Mix | Mason Jar Lid | Spice Container |

Store the Leftovers

It is best to store lettuce, chicken and salad dressing separate and only combine all of the ingredients just prior to serving. Otherwise the salad will get soggy.

Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you aren’t going to use the chicken within that time frame, you can freeze cooked chicken for 2 to 6 months.

Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to use a mason jar with this pourable lid. Homemade Caesar dressing can typically last up to 5 days when refrigerated at the proper temperature. Before using leftover dressing, give it a good stir or shake to incorporate the ingredients and ensure a fresh taste.

I hope this homemade Cajun spice blend will be a seasoning that becomes a new favorite in your recipe collection, and that you love this  Cajun Chicken Caesar salad as much as we do.

If you try this recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram @grindinggearsfarmstead.

Happy cooking, happy sharing, and may your kitchen always be filled with laughter and love.