A Whole30 Chicken Caesar Salad perfect for anyone who loves salads loaded with delicious and filling ingredients. This is a salad the whole family will enjoy eating. Made Whole30 by adding a creamy vegan caesar salad dressing, and using chopped, toasted and salted pecans instead of parmesan cheese and croutons.
Contents
A Variety of Whole30 Approved Toppings!
The Whole30 does not have to mean eating boring meals!
When I am doing a Whole30, I plan on spending extra time in the kitchen. I not only want approved foods, I want to make sure I enjoy my meals to make the process easier, and when my 30 days is up, I have a new arsenal of super healthy recipes to add to my meal rotation.
Homemade condiments are pretty much a must on the Whole30! It’s eye opening to scan labels at the grocery store and see how many products are loaded with starches, sugars, or chemicals.
My Vegan Caesar Dressing is made with a cashew base, and is dairy free, so it’s perfect for the Whole30. I don’t add anchovies to this version, but if you’re a fan, definitely mix a few in!
I fell in love with this dressing when making my Mexican Caesar Salad.
The variety of colorful foods that ARE allowed on the Whole30 can make meals just as exciting as your “regular” diet (okay okay, this is not nor will ever be PIZZA!).
Rather than just the typical chicken-lettuce-parmesan cheese-crouton combo, I opted for colorful veggies, and crunchy, toasty, salty pecans.
Toss on Some Lemon Thyme Chicken
One of my favorite simple chicken marinades is just olive oil, lemon juice, TONS of thyme, and salt and pepper. This combination has the best flavor and literally takes minutes to throw together.
It also marinates fast. I typically just toss it all together and let it sit while I am preparing other things for dinner. If you have the time, let it marinate for 3-4 hours, because it will make the chicken more tender.
You can also just throw on any leftover chicken, or buy a rotisserie chicken and use that. I love time saving ideas for the Whole3o, since it ends up being a labor intensive month! I had the Whole30 police point out on a recent Instagram post that some rotisserie chickens have Xantham gum, and so are not approved — you can bypass this issue if you buy at Whole Foods.
How to Serve Whole30 Chicken Ceasar Salad
This is an ideal meal, especially during the warmer months, for any one! That is one of my most valuable take-aways from my experience with the Whole30 diet. The approved foods are the most nutrient dense ingredients, meaning we get more nutritional bang for our buck.
Since my first Whole30, I regularly am brainstorming ways to make favorite dishes compliant, and I try to eat 1 Whole30 meal every day. It’s a great way to remind myself what foods to eat for optimal health.
If you’re not on the Whole30, this is still a great salad base, but feel free to toss in parmesan and croutons, if that’s what makes it a caesar to you!
Some Whole30 Side Dishes to Try with this Meal:
- Creamy Tomato Basil Soup: Make this a soup & salad party!
- Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Carrot, Apple, Fennel Soup
Whole30 Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- vegan caesar salad dressing
- 2 eggs hard boiled
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup red onion sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup pecans chopped, toasted and salted
Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken, and set aside for 20 minutes to 3 hours to allow the flavors to soak in. The longer the better, but the chicken will still be great if you only have 20 minutes.
- Grill the chicken on a BBQ or pan fry it indoors.
- Toss the chopped romaine in the vegan caesar salad dressing. Top with grilled chicken, avocado, tomatoes, onions, and pecans.
- Serve immediately once dressed! If meal prepping this salad, keep the pecans and dressing separate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Whole30 Salad Recipes:
- Whole30 Chicken Blackberry Salad, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Whole30 Chicken Salad, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad, by The Endless Meal
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I love a simple chicken salad and this is flavour packed.
This looks so good! I am very into chicken salads lately, and this has most of my favorite ingredients. I’m definitely trying this!
What a light and refreshing salad! This will be perfect for lunch today; yum!
I love the salted pecans in this salad. It gives it the crunch and saltiness you would normally get from the croutons and cheese. Such a great idea!
Such a beautiful salad! I love the addition of the toasted pecans. The lemon thyme chicken sounds wonderful.