It's a classic for a reason - Caesar Salad with it's tangy, umami, creamy dressing is bold enough to be the centrepiece of the meal. If you've got a large bowl on hand, make your salad into a performance. A table-side Chicken Caesar Salad adds that little bit of flair to lunch with friends.
I was sent this large wooden salad bowl recently (thanks Dumbo Home!) and the first thing that came to mind when I opened the package was those fancy, performative Caesar Salads they make right next to your table. The one where they make the dressing right there in the bowl, while all guests watch on, toss in the leaves and plate up with large croutons resting right on top. Lush.
The Origin Story of Caesar Salad
Perhaps surprisingly, Caesar salad wasn't created in Italy, but in Tijuana, Mexico back in 1924. Restaurateur Caesar Cardini created the dish by tossing together a few pantry staples right at the table of his guests. Selecting cos lettuce (romaine), parmesan, croutons, and a zesty dressing ended up striking gold and safe to say that since that time, the Caesar has become the salad world’s reigning icon.
A Little Salad Theatre
One of the things that set the Caesar Salad apart early on was the way it was served. Mixed fresh, right in front of diners, some theatrics to spice up your order! This table-side preparation added a touch of drama and charm, turning a simple salad into a mini performance. It wasn’t just about flavour; it was about flair. Over time, this ritual became a hallmark of old-school steakhouses and fancy hotel dining rooms. Even today, a table-side Caesar feels like a little throwback luxury.
What makes a Caesar, a Caesar
At the heart of every great Caesar Salad is its dressing. Creamy, punchy, and packed with flavour. The classic version starts with garlic, anchovies, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce, all emulsified with egg yolk and finished with a generous grating of Parmesan. It’s a bold balance of salty, tangy, and umami-rich ingredients that coat the lettuce just right, clinging to every leaf.
You can whisk it together the old-school way in a bowl, slowly drizzling in olive oil to build that creamy texture by hand or you could speed up this process and use a stick blender for a quicker, smoother finish that’s just as delicious (and a little more forgiving). Both methods deliver that signature Caesar flavour, but the hand-whisked version has a rustic charm that feels truer to the original. Either way, once you’ve had the real thing, the bottled stuff just doesn’t cut it. Making your own dressing feels complicated and time consuming, but in reality it takes a few extra minutes at best. The effort is worth it for the flavour!
Ingredients
- Anchovies
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Egg yolk
- Parmesan
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Chicken breast
- Bacon
- Panko breadcrumbs
See recipe card below for quantities.
Tips and Variations
- Anchovies: in my opinion, this is an essential ingredient to your dressing. Trust me when I say it doesn't taste fishy at all! However if you insist on swapping the anchovies out, a great substitute would be a tablespoon of capers.
- Raw egg yolk: if this is something you are not comfortable with, swap it with a high quality whole egg mayonnaise.
- Meat: Feel free to omit the bacon and chicken from this recipe if you're making a Caesar as a side salad to a main meal.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Fork
- Whisk
- Salad tongs
Watch the video here. If you make this one, don't forget to tag me on TikTok or Instagram. I love to see it!
Table-side Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large chicken breast
- 4 rashers middle bacon
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 head cos (romaine) lettuce leaves removed and washed
Dressing
- 2-3 anchovy filets
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup parmesan freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add chicken breast to a saucepan of cold water and place on the stove over a high heat. When the water comes to a boil, turn off the stove and remove pot from the heat. Cover with a lid and allow chicken to sit for 20 minutes for a perfectly cooked, moist chicken breast! Once cooked, chop into chunks and place in the fridge to cool.
- Meanwhile, cut bacon into pieces and place into a cool frypan. Turn frypan on and bring up to a medium heat, allowing fat to render. Cook bacon until crispy and then drain on a paper towel, keeping the fat in the pan for frying the panko crumbs.
- Add panko breadcrumbs to bacon fat and toss around to coat. Add in minced garlic and season with salt, stirring into breadcrumbs. Fry for a few minutes until crumbs are crispy and golden and the garlic is fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Slice each leaf of cos lettuce down the stem, and then into large bite-sized pieces.
Dressing
- In a large (preferably wooden) bowl, add anchovies and mince with a fork. Add minced garlic and continue to mash with a fork, combining both ingredients together.
- Add Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper and whisk.
- Add in egg yolk and parmesan and whisk in, creating a thick dressing. Stir through lemon juice and then slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. You are dispersing the fat throughout the liquid creating a creamy, cohesive dressing.
- Once emulsified, add in lettuce leaves, chicken and bacon and toss well so that each component is coated in the dressing. Sprinkle with garlic fried panko crumbs, and additional parmesan cheese and toss lightly. Serve immediately.
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