Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad
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!
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
*NOTE: This is not a traditional caesar dressing, but it's a great healthier option that features greek yogurt for added protein and creaminess. My version does NOT include anchovies, but instead gets a similar umami flavor from the Worcestershire sauce. Feel free to substitute about 1/3 cup of your favorite store-bought caesar dressing in this recipe instead. NUTRITION INFO: It is difficult to accurately calculate the nutrition info for this recipe, as not all of the panko breadcrumbs, flour and egg are used, and not all of the oil is absorbed into the chicken.