Raise your hand if you’re a fan of Caesar.
*ahem* Not Little Caesars, dudes. Caesar salads, I mean. Guess what, I am! It’s been one of my favorites for so many years.
One of the best ways to eat caesar salad, in my opinion, is on top of grilled pizza. I’ve you’ve never grilled pizza, now is the perfect time! Look at it this way–no heating up your house to a thousand degrees, you get to grill in the lovely outdoors, and you get a smoky char on the crust. Perfection!
I’ve included the recipes to make the dressing from scratch, but if you’d prefer to make it a little easier on yourself, then go right on ahead and use your favorite caesar dressing. Heck, you can even use rotisserie chicken if you want something faster. You won’t get a side eye from me.
I mean, it doesn’t get much better than something fresh, flavorful, and somewhat healthy. This is the perfect summer food. Cue the crickets, sunsets, hammock, and cold glass of your beverage of choice. I hope you love this recipe!
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Pizzas
This one is a fresh, smoky one perfect for summer.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 6 anchovy fillets, packed in oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 romaine hearts, chopped
- 3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
- 1/2 cup parmesan shards
For the dough:
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups bread flour, plus extra for rolling
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
For the salad:
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First, start by making the dressing by chopping the anchovy fillets and garlic clove together. Finely mince, then smash together with the blade of your knife to create a paste. Place in a medium bowl then whisk in egg yolks, lemon juice and dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, then canola oil. Dressing should be thick and not separated. Add parmesan cheese and give it a good whisk. Give it a taste and season with salt, pepper, more lemon juice or mustard, if desired. Place in a pint jar and store in the fridge until use. It can be made up to one day ahead of time.
For the dough:
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In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Pulse a few times to evenly distribute. Add water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and keep the food processor mixing until dough forms a sticky ball that clears the sides of the bowl. If the dough is not forming, add flour in tablespoons at a time until it reaches that stage. Scrape out of bowl and place in a medium-sized greased bowl. Cover and let proof for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
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Place 1/4 cup oil and minced garlic clove in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
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Toward the end of proofing time, start prepping your grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney with charcoal and light the coals. Fully open the vents on the bottom. For a gas grill, turn burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
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Once dough has proofed, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down. Divide the dough into fourths, and form each quarter into a ball. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
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After the resting time, quickly roll out each ball into a circle about 9 inches big. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, and lightly coat in flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dough on the pan, two pizzas per pan.
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Check the coals. Once the coals on the top are partially covered with ashes, dump them out in an even layer over three-quarters of the grate. Place the top grate in place, cover, open top vents and allow to heat for 5 minutes.
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Once the grill is heated, scrape with wire scraper. Using a paper towel lightly dipped in oil, grease the grill with a pair of tongs.
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Place two of the pizzas on the hot side of the grill, and allow to cook for a few minutes until bubbles have formed on the top of the pizza. (If using a gas grill, cover). Check the underside for nice grill marks and to prevent burning. If a pizza is getting to dark, move it to the cooler side of the grill.
Flip the dough over, brush lightly with the garlic oil and top with a few tablespoons of the grated parmesan cheese. Cook until the dough is lightly charred on the bottom, and remove the pizzas onto the sheet pan. Repeat with the last two pizzas.
To assemble:
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Toss lettuce and dressing together in a large bowl. Top pizzas with salad, sliced chicken and parmesan. Enjoy!
dough recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.
