If you ever travel to the United States, you’ll find Caesar Salad on almost every restaurant menu. This classic dish is attributed to Caesar Cardini, an Italian-born restaurateur who owned two restaurants — one in San Diego and one in Tijuana, Mexico. On the 4th of July 1924, during the national holiday rush, Caesar reportedly ran low on ingredients and improvised a salad dressing with whatever he had left. It was an instant hit, and he went on to make his fortune selling it bottled in American grocery stores under the name Cardini’s Original Caesar’s Dressing.
Originally, it was simply a dressed green salad — but today it’s often elevated into a main course with grilled chicken. Feel free to personalise it with tomatoes, crispy bacon, roasted cashews or anchovies.
Homemade Worcestershire Sauce (if you can’t find it)
If Worcestershire sauce isn’t available in your local supermarket, here’s a quick substitute: blend together 120 ml apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp fish sauce (or anchovy paste), 2 tbsp liquid honey, the juice of 1 lime, ½ tsp crushed cloves, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder. It won’t be exactly the same (the real sauce requires long fermentation), but it’s a very good stand-in!
Ingredients (serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter)
- 1 large head of Romaine lettuce
- 2 chicken breasts
- Parmesan shavings
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dijon mustard (or Colman’s if you can find it)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 egg yolk
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Day-old bread, cubed (for croutons)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make the croutons
- Toss bread cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Set aside.
Make the Caesar dressing
- Crush the garlic and combine with the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Gradually whisk in olive oil until you get a creamy, emulsified dressing.
Cook the chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Grill or pan-fry for 5–6 minutes each side until cooked through. Slice into strips.
Assemble the salad
- Tear or chop the Romaine lettuce and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle generously with the Caesar dressing and toss well.
- Top with chicken strips, croutons and Parmesan shavings.
- Add a final grind of black pepper and serve immediately.
Enjoy your meal! 🥗
Tip: For the creamiest dressing, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before whisking. A raw egg yolk gives the classic Caesar its silky texture — but if you prefer, use a pasteurised egg or a good-quality ready-made Caesar dressing.