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Overhead photo of a ceasar salad with chikcne and chick peas in a bowl with caesar dressing and wooden salt and pepper shakers off to the side
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5 from 4 votes

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Roasted Chick Peas

This Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Roasted Chick Peas is the perfect solution for dinner on those hot summer nights. It's a satisfying meal that's so simple to toss together!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blackening spice, caesar dressing, chick peas, Chicken, romaine lettuce, salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 601kcal
Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Ingredients

Caesar Dressing

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Roasted Chick Peas

  • 1 15.5-oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2-3 breasts
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1-2 Tbsp. blackening spice
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, sliced in half lengthwise
  • extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Caesar Dressing

  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a jar and place in refrigerator.

Roasted Chick Peas

  • Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Pour chick peas into a strainer and rinse. Place rinsed chick peas on a clean dish towel. Remove the skins. Once the skins are removed, pat dry with another towel and then let air-dry for a few minutes.
  • Place the chick peas on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with one tablespoon olive oil. Stir with your hands until they're evenly coated. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
  • Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes until golden brown. Mine took 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Toss the chick peas in your salad while they are warm and crispy.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

  • While chick peas are roasting, grill your chicken. Preheat your gas grill to medium-high heat, 350-400 degrees.
  • Brush your chicken breasts with one tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle each side generously with blackening spice. Add chicken to the grill, close the lid and cook 7-8 minutes or until the bottom of the chicken is easy to flip and has clear grill marks. Rotate the chicken, close the lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from the grill. Let cool 3-4 minutes and cut into bite-sized chunks.
  • Clean the grill grates. Keep the heat on medium. Brush the cut sides of the romaine heads lightly with the remaining one tablespoon olive oil. Place the heads cut side down on the gill and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the grill to a cutting board. Roughly chop.
  • Add the chopped romaine to a large serving bowl along with the grilled chicken pieces, the roasted chick peas and desired amount of dressing. Toss well. Serve immediately with extra dressing and grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Use as much dressing as you prefer and refrigerate any remaining dressing in an airtight container.
You can find blackening spice in the spice aisle at your local food market.
Make sure to only grill your romaine for two minutes until just slightly charred.
This salad is best enjoyed immediately after you put it together so the chick peas remain crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 1785mg | Potassium: 1457mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 27440IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 4mg