Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado

June 4, 2019 By Whip & Wander 37 Comments

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When it’s good, it’s really really good

There’s nothing like a great Caesar Salad, but I find they can often be hit-or-miss when dining out – even at some of the great steak houses. So often, what ends up being served is a pile of greens with a drizzle of weak bottled sauce, a smattering of something resembling parmesan, stale powdery croutons, and maybe a wedge of lemon (if you’re lucky). It’s enough to turn you off of the idea of ordering a Caesar Salad when dining out.

This Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado is the perfect upgraded version of the classic steakhouse salad. The spicy roasted chickpeas on this beauty make a deliciously fiery swap for croutons, perfectly jammy eggs and fresh avocado temper the heat, and this easy Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing adds umami, citrus, and creaminess to round everything out. It’s safe to say that this Caesar Salad will beat anything you find on a restaurant menu.

Spicy, crunchy morsels > stale croutons

If your croutons come in a resealable pouch complete with vague powdered Italian seasonings, you’re doing your salad a disservice. I prefer to roast a can of chickpeas coated in a simple and spicy seasoning blend, a bit of oil, and a sprinkle of good coarse sea salt while I prep the rest of my salad ingredients. The oven turns the chickpeas into crunchy little morsels that provide the perfect swap for that bag of old, stale croutons (that should be left in 1997).

The seasoning blend I use is a simple mix of cayenne + paprika + garlic oil + sea salt and they are definitely spicy. If you prefer yours on the milder side, you can decrease the amount of cayenne used by 1/4 tsp and still end up with a nice hint of heat that will compliment the salad.

The key to a perfectly jammy egg

I prefer to use a properly jammy egg in this salad, meaning the egg whites are cooked through and the yolk is only just starting to cook around the edges, leaving the golden center saucy, shiny, and perfectly jammy.

In order to accomplish this, bring your pot of water to boil over medium-high heat first before ever adding the eggs. Once the water reaches boil, gently lower your eggs into the water and cook for 6 1/2 to 7 minutes (set that timer!), adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil if necessary. Once the timer goes off, immediately place the eggs into an ice bath to chill for 2 minutes. Crack, peel, and enjoy the jammiest eggs!

If you prefer your yolk cooked all the way through, this salad is still great with wedges of traditional hardboiled eggs.

The namesake dressing

Homemade dressings should be simple, easy, and better than anything you can find bottled on the store shelf – and this Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing is no exception! It comes together in 5 minutes or less and is the key to transforming your salad greens into a scrumptious Caesar Salad.

What to serve with this Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

This Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas is perfectly hearty on it’s own, but if you wanted to add some extra protein this salad pairs really well with grilled chicken, steak, salmon, or even shrimp!

A note for special diets

This Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas is grain-free and gluten-free. For those following a low-carb or Keto diet, I estimate that this salad clocks in at 12 net carbs per serving if prepared as directed.

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