Preheat your grill to medium-high heat about 10 minutes before cooking. I brush the grates with oil-soaked paper towels because cold grates stick every single time, wasting those beautiful chicken breasts on a frustrating morning.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then coat lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with black pepper. The drying step removes surface moisture so the exterior browns rather than steams, which is why restaurant chicken tastes so different from what most home cooks make.

Grill chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until an internal thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest point. I learned the hard way that checking temperature matters more than guessing timing—undercooked chicken ruins an otherwise perfect salad, and overcooked chicken turns into shoe leather.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board before slicing. This pause lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat instead of running all over your plate, which is what separates mediocre grilled chicken from the kind Marco actually remembers eating.

While chicken rests, whisk together the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey in a small bowl. The honey dissolves faster when whisked with warm oil, creating a smoother dressing base than if you added it cold.

Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine hearts, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Wet greens dilute dressing and make the whole elegant chicken Caesar salad summer collapse into mush, so I spin mine twice in a salad spinner to guarantee crispness that lasts through the meal.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. They'll smell incredible and turn golden—that exact moment is when you pull them off heat, because they keep toasting even after leaving the pan and can burn in seconds.