This Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad is my new obsession! A perfectly pan-fried chicken cutlet serves as the base, then it’s piled high with a refreshing caesar salad made with crunchy romaine, fresh parmesan, and a luscious greek yogurt caesar dressing. It’s the loveliest balance of flavors and textures. This is truly a restaurant worthy dish that’s easy to make in under 30 minutes!
I’ve been seeing this trend all over social media where people make a crispy chicken cutlet and top it with caesar salad. It’s pretty much like an inverse chicken caesar salad. Now I’m not usually one to hop on trends, but this looked way too good not to! And I’m very grateful that I followed through with this crispy chicken caesar salad, because it was beyond delicious and majorly approved by my husband too.
I don’t consider myself an expert at frying things — it’s not a common technique in my kitchen and recipes — but I’m here to reassure you that it’s honestly easier than it seems! The key is to really make sure that you use a high-smoke point oil (like avocado oil), heat it to the right temp, and also make sure that your cutlets are super thin so they cook quickly. Detailed instructions are listed in the full recipe card below, but I promise it’s worth the effort!
To me, this crispy chicken caesar salad is way more fun and satisfying than a classic chicken caesar salad and may even rival the iconic caesar salad and fries combo! It feels light and fresh while also being a bit indulgent and special. Serve it like I did, or go more traditional with the caesar salad on bottom and the crispy chicken cutlet on top…the choice is yours. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love this Ultra Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad
- They are satisfying & indulgent while also being light & fresh!
- Once you have a chicken caesar salad this way, you’ll never go back.
- The homemade caesar dressing is made with greek yogurt for a healthier option.
- This recipe can easily be made gluten free, with two swaps.
- It’s surprisingly easy to make, and comes together in under 30 minutes.
What You Need to Make this Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad
For the Crispy Chicken Cutlets:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: I used two small chicken breasts (5oz each), but if you only have one large one, be sure to first butterfly it in half before beating it down to 1/4″ thick, so that it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are the last step in our dredging, and provide that super crispy chicken cutlet crust! If you’re gluten free, try using the Aleia’s or Kikkoman brands.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly & very finely grated is best! Adding parmesan into the breading provides flavor and helps the chicken cutlets get extra golden and crispy.
- Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: These simple seasonings will add a bunch of flavor to the panko breadcrumb mixture.
- All Purpose Flour: The first step of the dredging process involves seasoned flour, which helps the egg stick to the chicken. You can use normal all purpose flour, or a gluten free one.
- Egg: The egg wash acts as the “glue” to help the breadcrumb mixture stick to the chicken.
- Water: Adding a bit of water to the egg helps to loosen the egg’s thickness so that it coats the chicken more easily.
- Avocado Oil: We are shallow frying these chicken cutlets in avocado oil, because it has a neutral flavor and high smoke point. You could substitute olive oil in a pinch, but it does have a lower smoke point.
For the Caesar Dressing:
- Greek Yogurt: The base of this caesar dressing is full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, which adds creaminess, protein and probiotics.
- Parmesan Cheese: Once again, make sure it’s freshly and very finely grated!
- Lemon Juice: I like my caesar dressing really tangy, so I add 1 tbsp of lemon juice, but feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds depth of flavor to the caesar dressing.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Rather than using anchovies, we’re achieving a similar umami flavor from a very small amount of Worcestershire sauce.
- Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Don’t be shy with the seasonings!
For the Caesar Salad:
- Romaine: Of course, the base of this caesar salad is chopped romaine.
- Parmesan Cheese: More grated parmesan to finish it off!
- Black Pepper: For garnish.
How To Make these Chicken Caesar Salad Cutlets
Beat Down Chicken Cutlets:
First, if you’re using 2 small chicken breasts, simply beat them down until they are ¼” thick. If you’re using 1 large chicken breast, butterfly it in half and then beat down as needed until it’s ¼” thick. Pat dry and season both sides with kosher salt & black pepper. Set aside.
Prepare Dredging Station:
Next, add panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, italian seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt & black pepper to one of the shallow bowls, and stir to combine. In another shallow bowl, add the flour and more kosher salt & black pepper, and stir to combine. In the last shallow bowl, add the egg, water and a bit of kosher salt. Whisk until combined.
Bread the Chicken:
Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour mixture first, then in the egg, letting excess drip off, and finally in the panko breadcrumbs. Press down on the top of the chicken to help the breadcrumbs stick. Set aside and repeat with the other piece of chicken.
Pan Fry the Chicken Cutlets:
Add avocado oil to a large pan and bring up to medium-high heat. You can test to see if the oil is ready by dropping in a few breadcrumbs — if they sizzle and start to brown in 30 seconds, it’s ready. Add in chicken cutlet (you will likely have to cook them one at a time) and then reduce heat down to medium. Cook for 3 minutes, or until golden, then flip and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, or until golden and internal temperature reaches 165F. Transfer chicken cutlets to a wire rack and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (optional).
Prepare Caesar Dressing & Toss with Romaine:
In a small bowl, mix together all of the caesar dressing ingredients. Then, pour it over the romaine and toss to combine.
Assemble Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad:
Finally, assemble with the chicken cutlet on bottom and half of the caesar salad on top. Garnish with more grated parmesan and black pepper. Alternatively, you can transform it into a more traditional caesar salad by having the lettuce on bottom, and strips of the chicken cutlet on top. Enjoy!
Expert Tips & Tricks:
- Make sure the chicken breast is very thin: You want it to be roughly 1/4″ thick, which you can do by beating it down with a meat tenderizer (or similar object), or buying the “thinly” sliced chicken breast from the grocery store.
- Season in layers: You’ll see in the recipe card below that I highly recommend seasoning the chicken itself, as well as each of the steps in the dredging station. This will result in maximum flavor, so don’t be shy!
- Use a high smoke point oil: I prefer avocado oil, but vegetable oil or canola oil will also work. This will mitigate smoking.
- Heat your oil up to about 350-375F: If you have a meat thermometer, use that to test it. Otherwise, drop some breadcrumbs in and see if they brown within 30 seconds
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Unless you have a massive pan, you’ll want to fry the chicken cutlets one at a time to ensure they get crispy instead of steaming.
- Transfer to wire rack after frying: You want to make sure that any excess oil drips off instead of pooling up and making the bottom of the chicken cutlet soggy.
How Should I Store Leftover Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad?
This crispy chicken caesar salad is one of the few recipes that I would say truly is best eaten fresh, and is not well suited for meal prep. The chicken cutlets will be most delicious and crispy when eaten shortly after pan frying them! Similarly, romaine is not a super sturdy lettuce, so it will get soggy in the fridge.
If you know you’ll have leftovers, I recommend leaving off the dressing and storing the chicken cutlet separately from the romaine. When ready to eat, you may need to water down the dressing a bit since it will have thickened in the fridge. Re-heat chicken cutlets on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 375F oven for roughly 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Air fryer would work too!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Other Recipes you Might Like:
- Green Goddess Caprese Melt
- Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts
- Tahini Caesar Salad with Celery and Crispy Quinoa
- Bruschetta Caprese Chicken Bake
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
- Apple and Bacon Grilled Cheese
Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad
Equipment
- cheese grater
- parchment paper or plastic wrap
- meat tenderizer
- 3 shallow bowls
- fork
- large pan (stainless steel preferably)
- wire rack
- small bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
For the Crispy Chicken Cutlets:
- 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (normal or GF)
- ¼ cup freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour (normal or GF)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- 5 tbsp avocado oil
For the Caesar Dressing – SEE NOTE:
- ¼ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr
- 3 tbsp freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 3 cups chopped romaine (5.5oz)
- freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- If you're using 2 small chicken breasts, simply beat them down until they are ¼" thick. If you're using 1 large chicken breast, butterfly it in half and then beat down as needed until it's ¼" thick. Pat dry and season both sides with kosher salt & black pepper. Set aside.10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, kosher salt & black pepper
- Add panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, italian seasoning, garlic powder, kosher salt & black pepper to one of the shallow bowls, and stir to combine. In another shallow bowl, add the flour and more kosher salt & black pepper, and stir to combine. In the last shallow bowl, add the egg, water and a bit of kosher salt. Whisk until combined.1 cup panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese, ½ tsp italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp water
- Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour mixture first, then in the egg, letting excess drip off, and finally in the panko breadcrumbs. Press down on the top of the chicken to help the breadcrumbs stick. Set aside and repeat with the other piece of chicken.
- Add avocado oil to a large pan and bring up to medium-high heat. You can test to see if the oil is ready by dropping in a few breadcrumbs — if they sizzle and start to brown in 30 seconds, it's ready. Add in chicken cutlet (you will likely have to cook them one at a time) and then reduce heat down to medium. Cook for 3 minutes, or until golden, then flip and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, or until golden and internal temperature reaches 165F. Transfer chicken cutlets to a wire rack and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (optional).5 tbsp avocado oil
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the caesar dressing ingredients. Then, pour it over the romaine and toss to combine.¼ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, 3 tbsp freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp dijon mustard, ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp garlic powder, 3 cups chopped romaine
- Assemble with the chicken cutlet on bottom and half of the caesar salad on top. Garnish with more grated parmesan and black pepper. Alternatively, you can transform it into a more traditional caesar salad by having the lettuce on bottom, and strips of the chicken cutlet on top. Enjoy!freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
Can you air fry the chicken? If so for how long?
I haven’t tested this yet so I can’t say for sure, sorry! But I can report back once I try it out.
This was very good and easy to assemble. Unique Caesar w/ Greek yogurt. Will make again
Thank you Haydon!
Great recipe!
I had no Parmesan, but rather a Parmesan/Romano blend, but that was my only deviation.
I loved it, and the wife really like it too.
Thank you so much!
This was ridiculously good. We will be making this again soon!
Thank you so much Sara!!
I wasn’t sure with the dressing at first, but all together with the chicken it was delicious. Definitely going to have this a lot!
Thank you so much Juliette! Glad you liked it 🙂