Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad with Spicy Garlic Butter Croutons

For the croutons, start by getting 1 loaf of old bread that has started to harden and dice it into bite-sized cubes.

In a bowl, add 4 tablespoons of melted butter (cooled to room temperature), 0.25 cup of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.

Season the mixture with 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning, and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper.

Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.

Add 4 cups of the cubed bread to the mixture and stir it all together until the bread is coated.

Add the coated bread cubes to a baking sheet.

Cook the croutons in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for 5 minutes.

Take the croutons out, flip them over, and cook for another 5 minutes or until they are crispy.

Get 6 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. To both sides, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil per side.

Season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning, and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper. Rub the seasoning onto each piece. If it's too dry, add more olive oil.

In a skillet on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of high heat oil.

Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and sear both sides until it's blackened. Everyone will have different sizes of chicken, so if it needs to be cooked more, just finish it off in the oven.

Let the chicken rest and cut up 2 large hearts of Romaine lettuce.

Add the chopped Romaine lettuce to a large bowl with the cooked croutons and 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing.

Toss all the salad ingredients together.

Add 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the salad and toss again. If a Caesar doesn't taste like it does at a restaurant, it probably needs more Parmesan.