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Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad – Crunchy, Creamy & Completely Addictive

Golden crispy chicken cutlets topped with fresh romaine, shaved Parmesan, homemade creamy Caesar dressing, and optional croutons — an elevated, addictive twist on the classic chicken Caesar salad.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American, Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crispy Chicken Cutlets
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to ¼-inch thick
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup neutral oil for frying
Homemade Caesar Dressing
  • 0.75 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 anchovy fillets or 1-2 tsp paste
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Salad
  • 8 cups chopped romaine hearts
  • 0.5 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup croutons optional

Equipment

  • Meat mallet
  • Large skillet
  • Wire rack
  • Blender or food processor
  • Shallow dishes for breading

Method
 

  1. Pound chicken breasts to ¼-inch thick and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
  2. Set up breading: flour, beaten eggs, panko mixed with Parmesan. Dredge chicken in flour, egg, then panko.
  3. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high; fry cutlets 3-4 minutes per side until golden and 165°F. Drain on wire rack.
  4. Blend dressing ingredients until smooth; thin with water if needed. Refrigerate.
  5. Toss romaine with most of dressing, croutons, and half Parmesan.
  6. Plate dressed salad and top with sliced crispy chicken. Drizzle extra dressing, add Parmesan and pepper.
  7. Serve immediately for maximum crunch. Enjoy your addictive crispy chicken Caesar salad!

Notes

Pound chicken evenly for best results. Use wire rack for draining to keep crisp. Dressing improves after resting. Re-crisp leftovers in air fryer.