What do you get if you cross a Caesar salad with your favorite summer roast?
Baked Caesar chicken!
Because of its low fat content, chicken breast is known for having a tough, dry texture when cooked. Generally, people tend to associate chicken breasts with clean eating which means boring. But today, let’s forget about bland and dry baked chicken.
This delicious anytime dish is cooked with love, and it shows. Smothered in a luscious homemade Caesar dressing, topped with parmesan, and baked to perfection, this chicken will melt in your mouth. It’s guaranteed to get people cleaning up every last drop of this dish from their plates.
Learn how to make creamy Caesar dressing (without anchovies), my foolproof method to baking the juiciest chicken breasts, and serving suggestions to enjoy this caesar chicken recipe. If you tried it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @cookingwithcassandra.
Recipe Ingredients
This Caesar chicken recipe serves 4. There are two main parts: the chicken and the homemade dressing.
- Chicken breasts - I pick boneless and skinless chicken breasts for the job. They are the leanest cut of the chicken with the least amount of fat and the highest amount of protein. Plus, they’re way easier to deal with than chicken thighs or wings that have bones in them.
- Parmesan cheese - We will grate some fresh parmesan cheese as a garnish. Just picture some melted parmesan cheese, oozing over freshly baked chicken. Yum!
Coat chicken breasts in a yummy homemade Caesar dressing. My usual Caesar salad dressing recipe includes anchovy paste, which has an amazing umami taste! As delicious as it is, I didn’t want it to overpower the chicken here. So, the ingredients for this Caesar dressing are:
- Garlic - Rejoice, garlic lovers! We will be using 8 garlic cloves (minced) in this recipe. You can go for garlic powder, but I still find that using the real cloves gives you maximum flavor. There’s nothing like real garlic.
- Sweet onions - Finely chop ½ a sweet onion in a food processor. Onions lend a natural sweetness to this Caesar dressing, so there are no artificial sweeteners needed in this recipe.
- Pro Tip: I sometimes grate onions on my cheese grater. Not only is it easier to clean afterward, it also helps to release the juices of the onion, making it stand out in any recipe.
- Lemon - Squeeze the juice from one lemon for some acidity to balance out the creaminess. Of it all.
- Greek yogurt - Full-fat Greek yogurt yields the creamiest texture of Caesar dressing, however, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream will work just fine.
- Parmesan cheese - The richness and savory flavors of Parmesan cheese make this Caesar dressing so, so yummy.
- Worcestershire sauce and salt - These are must-haves as they enhance the taste of every ingredient here.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Set aside 45 minutes to make this dish: 10 minutes for prep and 35 minutes of baking time.
Step One: Heat the oven to 375°F and spray the inside of a medium baking dish with cooking spray. This prevents the chicken from sticking to the dish. Arrange your chicken breasts in the dish.
Step Two: Whisk together the ingredients of the Caesar dressing in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over each chicken breast then sprinkle ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Step Three: Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
- Pro Tip: To prevent the chicken from drying out, cover the dish with tin foil. This traps the steam within the dish and keeps the chicken juicy.
Step Four: After 35 minutes, broil the chicken breasts for an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until the chicken turns golden brown. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Optional: Garnish the baked chicken with fresh parsley or sprigs of rosemary. Ooh, la la!
This Caesar chicken recipe is best served as a main dish. Complete it with some of your favorite roasted vegetables, such as corn-on-a-cob, mushrooms, and bell peppers.
Better yet, pair it with a side of refreshing summer salads! Try this super-easy strawberry salad, a curried pecans peach salad, or a nutritious beet salad.
Can I Use Store-bought Dressing?
Homemade Caesar dressing is always the best choice because it uses the freshest ingredients of high quality. And since they’re so easy to make, I find that I’ve run out of excuses not to make my own!
However, for people who want to get their cooking done without much fuss, store-bought dressing is the way to go. So, if you’re pressed for time, why not? I recommend using it in moderation. I would not use store-bought dressing every day – with its additives and preservatives, it’s best to keep it to a minimum.
If you are buying a bottle of Caesar dressing for this baked caesar chicken, your sauce will taste slightly different than my recipe. Try a little bit of it before you decide how much to pour over your chicken breasts (you may not need as much). Enjoy!
Caesar Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
Caesar Dressing:
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 sweet onion finely chopped in food processor or grated on your cheese grater
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon freshly squeezed
- 1¼ cups Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees and spray the inside of a medium baking dish with cooking spray and place your chicken breasts in the dish
- Whisk together the mixture for the Caesar dressing in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over each breast then sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese on top.
- Place the prepared chicken in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil and broil the breasts an additional 2-4 minutes or until the chicken turns golden brown, (watch it closely so it doesn’t burn).
- If you want to get fancy you can garnish with fresh parsley.
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