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5 from 10 votes

Copycat Sweetgreen Kale Caesar Salad

Copycat Sweetgreen Kale Caesar Salad is a mix of kale and romaine lettuce, tossed in a caesar dressing with tomatoes and parmesan crisps.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 people (WITH LEFTOVERS)
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Roasted chicken:

  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Thick Parmesan Crisps:

  • 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan-Reggiano Grana Padano will work too!

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste or 2 filets
  • 2 small garlic clove
  • 2 large egg yolk
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice juice from about 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt

Salad:

  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 2 cups chopped romaine
  • 5 to 6 cherry tomatoes sliced or quartered
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1/2 avocado on the top (optional)

Instructions

To make the roasted chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, add the chicken. Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven to roast for about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool and chop up into cubes. (This makes a bigger batch. I use about half for the two salads. I keep the rest in the fridge and use at a later time.)

To make the parmesan crisps:

  • On a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat (I tried to do it on a piece of parchment and was super frustrated because it stuck so I definitely recommend a Silpat or something similar to it), add the parmesan in a big pile. Transfer to the oven to cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. (If your parmesan pile is smaller, I would check on it at the 3-minute mark but we’re trying to go for a bit thicker crisps.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. When cooled, break up into bite-size pieces and set aside.

To make the caesar dressing:

  • To a blender of food processor, add the anchovy paste, garlic clove, egg yolk, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and a few rounds of freshly ground pepper. Turn the blender on and with it running, add the olive oil in a steady stream, until it’s emulsified and thickened. Give it a taste and add salt to taste. (I needed a few pinches of salt and another round of black pepper.) This salad makes enough for about 4 salads. I usually save the dressing for another day.

To assemble the salad:

  • To a medium bowl, add the kale and a few tablespoons of the dressing. Toss that salad until the kale is really coated in the dressing. Let it sit for like 5 minutes, while you gather the rest of the ingredients. Add the romaine, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, parmesan crisps, lime juice, reserved cubed chicken and a tablespoon or two of more dressing. Toss once last time and divide amongst two bowls. Top with slices of avocado. Sprinkle the avocado with a bit of salt and the last bit of lime juice from the used up lime. SERVE!

Notes

I actually found parmesan crisps in the cheese department of most grocery stores so if you don’t have a Silpat or silicon baking mat to make the cheese crisps on, you can always buy them. ALSO, I’m pretty sure you can make them in a non-stick skillet over the stove, too.
Don’t try it on parchment because the one time I did, I’m pretty sure I ate some paper. I survived!

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal