Caesar Salad with Zero-Carb Croutons

Caesar salad is one of the most loved salads that is listed on the menu of almost every restaurant. It's down to its simplicity, the creamy flavorful dressing and the crunch or lettuce and croutons. Even the pickiest of eaters enjoy a bowl of this delicious summer salad!

This Caesar Salad is quick and can easily be scaled up if you're cooking for more people. If you're doing meal prep, I suggest you make the dressing and cook the chicken in advance but only assemble the salad before serving.

If you're packing this salad for a lunch, try using a large mason jar like we did in this Low-Carb Cobb Salad and layer the salad in this order: dressing, chicken, parmesan and lettuce. This will keep the dressing separate from the remaining ingredients and the greens will stay nice and crunchy. I'd also pack the pork rinds separately in a small container and sprinkle it on the salad before serving as they would otherwise get soft and chewy.

To keep this recipe keto-approved we're using pork rinds instead of croutons for that extra crunch and zero added carbs. And if you don't like or can't use pork rinds, try Chicken Cracklings instead!

I used my own Caesar Salad Dressing which is super simple and only takes a few minutes to prepare. You'll have plenty of it for the whole week to try with other recipes such as this Duck Caesar Salad with Low-Carb Croutons or Low-Carb Kale Caesar Salad!

Recipe Customizations

We're using a whole chicken breast which is perfect for those who prefer a higher protein lunch or dinner. If this is too much for you, you can simply use smaller chicken breast or use just half of it.

Each and every one of us has different dietary needs so it's only natural that you may need to adjust the macros in this recipe. You can make any adjustments and more directly in the KetoDiet App by cloning any of the recipes from my blog and customizing them to fit your macros and preferences.

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Step-by-step

1. First, prepare the Caesar Salad Dressing. Peel and crush the garlic. If using whole anchovies, chop them as finely as you can to create paste. Place all of the ingredients in a mason jar. Cover with a lid and shake until well combined. Shake until well combined. For smoother texture you can place the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
   Note: The recipe will make enough dressing for 10 servings. Per each serving you'll only need 2 tablespoons (30 ml). Store the remaining salad dressing in the jar sealed in the fridge for up to a week.

   

2. To cook the chicken breast, rub the chicken with one teaspoon of olive oil or ghee and season with salt and pepper. Heat another teaspoon of oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Place chicken breasts in and cook until edges are opaque, for about 10 minutes.

3. Flip the chicken breast and then cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, take off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

   

4. To assemble, tear the lettuce into smaller pieces and place in a salad bowl. Top with sliced chicken, parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the prepared salad dressing. Top with pork rinds broken into smaller pieces. (Or instead of pork rinds you can use Chicken Cracklings.)

   

5. Eat immediately.

   

6. To store, refrigerate for up to a day (without the croutons as they should always be added just before serving).

   

Recipe

Caesar Salad with Zero-Carb Croutons

★★★★★4.9 (7 ratings)

This is a classic Caesar salad made with crunchy lettuce, juicy chicken, parmesan, homemade dressing and ...

Hands on

10m

Overall

25m

Servings

1

3.1 g

Net carbs

51.6 g

Protein

36.5 g

Fat

575

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings

US + metricMetricUS

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Ingredients makes 1 salad

• Caesar salad dressing:
• 1 cup paleo mayonnaise (240 ml/ 8 fl oz) - you can make your own
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 jarred anchovy fillets, finely chopped or 1 tbsp anchovy paste
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos (15 ml)
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or any Italian-style hard cheese (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
• Caesar salad:
• 1 skinless chicken breast (170 g/ 6 oz)
• ¹/₂ head of Romaine lettuce or any lettuce of choice (150 g/ 5.3 oz)
• 2 tbsp grated or flaked Parmesan cheese (10 g/ 0.4 oz)
• 2 tbsp prepared Caesar Salad Dressing (30 ml)
• 5 to 7 pork rinds, crushed into smaller pieces (10 g/ 0.4 oz)

Instructions

1. First, prepare the Caesar Salad Dressing. Peel and crush the garlic. If using whole anchovies, chop them as finely as you can to create paste. Place all of the ingredients in a mason jar. Cover with a lid and shake until well combined. Shake until well combined. For smoother texture you can place the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
   Note: The recipe will make enough dressing for 10 servings. Per each serving you'll only need 2 tablespoons (30 ml). Store the remaining salad dressing in the jar sealed in the fridge for up to a week.

2. To cook the chicken breast, rub the chicken with one teaspoon of olive oil or ghee and season with salt and pepper. Heat another teaspoon of oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Place chicken breasts in and cook until edges are opaque, for about 10 minutes.

3. Flip the chicken breast and then cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, take off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

4. To assemble, tear the lettuce into smaller pieces and place in a salad bowl. Top with sliced chicken, parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the prepared salad dressing. Top with pork rinds broken into smaller pieces. (Or instead of pork rinds you can use Chicken Cracklings.)

5. Eat immediately.

6. To store, refrigerate for up to a day (without the croutons as they should always be added just before serving).

Nutrition per serving, 1 bowl

Carbs 2%Protein 38%Fat 60% of calories

Net carbs

3.1 g

Total carbs

6.4 g

Fiber

3.3 g

Sugars

2.2 g

Protein

51.6 g

Fat

36.5 g

Saturated fat

7.3 g

Calories

575 kcal

Sodium

426 mg · 18.5% RDA

Magnesium

77 mg · 19.1% RDA

Potassium

1,001 mg · 50.1% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per 1 bowl	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Chicken, breast (without skin, raw)	0 g	38.3 g	4.5 g	204
Lettuce, Romaine	1.8 g	1.8 g	0.5 g	26
Parmesan cheese	0.3 g	3.6 g	2.6 g	39
Caesar Salad Dressing	1 g	1.4 g	19 g	178
Pork rinds (pork skins), dry, plain (for "breading")	0 g	6.5 g	1.1 g	49
Olive oil, extra virgin	0 g	0 g	9 g	80
Total	3.1 g	51.6 g	36.5 g	575

Serving size 1 bowl

• Gluten free
• Nut free
• Nightshade free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free
• Shellfish free
• Beef free