I am a huge Caesar salad fan. This shredded vegetable Caesar with grilled chicken is a nice variation on the original, with some extra nutrition from the kale and carrots. You could also top the salad base with rotisserie chicken, fried chicken, shrimp, tofu…. anything that sounds good.
I used homemade eggless Caesar dressing for this. It is super tasty and easy to make. Croutons add a nice crunch to this, but you could leave those off, or replace with some sunflower seeds or other crunchy element.
I did a simple brine for my chicken breasts before grilling them and also pounded out the thicker end a bit so they would grill evenly. I used olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, celery seed, smoked paprika, and sumac on my chicken breasts and let them marinate overnight for good flavor.
Shredded Vegetable Caesar with Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
For chicken:
- 3 boneless chicken breasts thick end pounded out a bit
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp sumac
For the dressing:
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dijon mustard or more to taste
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp anchovy paste or one minced anchovy
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream can use light
- 1/2 cup mayo can use light
For the salad:
- 1 package coleslaw mix or a few cups of shredded cabbage/carrots
- 1 small bunch kale washed, stems removed and shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup croutons homemade or store bought
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Combine the marinade ingredients and add the chicken breasts. Make sure they are well coated. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. Heat the grill to medium high and grill the chicken until it is 165 degrees. Flipping as needed to avoid burning. Let the chicken rest a few minutes and then slice it.
For the dressing:
- Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the dressing is really thick, thin it with a little water.
For the salad:
- Combine the coleslaw mix and shredded kale and toss with some dressing. Top with the chicken, croutons, shredded parm and drizzle a little more dressing over the top and serve.