Crispy Bacon Kale Caesar Salad
Some nights throwing together a quick and easy salad just feels right!
The combination of bacon with a traditional caesar salad adds the perfect savory touch with some extra crunch. I like to cook my bacon in the oven on a baking sheet because its quick and low mess! Preheat your oven to 425, put some aluminum foil down and lay bacon strips with about a half inch of space in between. Cook for around 10 minutes but check in frequently as its easy to over cook!
I love kale in a salad and mixing greens makes the perfect texture. Add as much or as little kale as you want and massage it to soften it up a big. To do this you drizzle some olive oil over the kale, and using your hands literally just massage it for about 2 minutes.
This bacon kale salad is one of those recipes I always come back to. It’s hearty, flavorful, and actually satisfying thanks to crispy bacon and tender, massaged kale. What really makes it though is the dressing—this is where a good Caesar changes everything. I’ve since perfected my homemade Caesar dressing, and it pairs so well with kale, clinging to every bite without weighing it down. I’ve linked the full dressing recipe here because once you try it, you’ll want to use it on everything.
Crispy Bacon Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon thick cut, cooked and chopped
- 1 chicken breast cut lengthwise
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 bunch kale chopped
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
- 1 handful croutons crushed
- fresh cracked black pepper
- caesar dressing homemade or store bought
Instructions
- season your chicken with salt, pepper and paprika
- heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat, cook chicken, flip and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉, remove from heat and slice into bite size pieces
- prepare the salad by adding chopped kale and romaine to a large bowl
- add shaved cheese, crumbled croutons, fresh cracked black pepper and bacon
- add caesar dressing to taste and toss your salad
- place chicken on top and squeeze fresh lemon on top and ENJOY