Who doesn’t love a classic caesar salad? Crisp greens, tangy Parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons bring added life to most any meal. Add a few ounces of protein and it IS the meal! But I’m one of those peeps who likes the texture and flavor of extra veggies plus a bit of protein, so I created a colorful and flavorful take on the classic version. Starting with a base of chopped romaine I layered on roast chicken, zesty radishes, the sweetest and juiciest cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, and pumpkin seeds to replace the croutons. Drizzled with a bold, creamy dressing (50% Caesar and 50% Green Goddess), this salad is loaded with so many flavors and textures that it’s easy to forget you’re actually eating a plate of vegetables! Yep, this Chicken Caesar Salad is a meal in itself.
Switch out the protein: if you have leftover salmon (rare in my house), consider replacing the protein in this Chicken Caesar Salad with salmon fillets for a tasty Salmon-Avocado Caesar. If you’re into meal prep, this salad hits all the marks for a nutritionally balanced lunch and takes just minutes to prepare.
Note: When using store-bought salad dressing I prefer Girard’s 80-calorie Caesar. But if you really want to elevate the dressing’s flavor, try a half and half blend of Caesar and Green Goddess Dressing. (DELISH!)
Avocado-Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast or Thighs Roasted
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce Chopped or shredded
- 2 cup Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- 4 Radishes Thinly sliced
- 2 Green Onions Thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup Caesar Dressing
- 1 Avocado Sliced or diced
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
- 2 tbsp Almonds Slivered or sliced
Instructions
- Thinly slice or shred the roast chicken and set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, toss together the Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and half of the sliced green onions.
- Toss in about 1/4 cup of the Caesar dressing, then add more until you reach desired salad/dressing ratio and texture.
- Garnish salad with sliced avocado, remaining green onions, pumpkin seeds and slivered almonds and enjoy!