Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad

I don't just want you to live long, I want you to live well, and this time it's my Marry Me Meals (The Long Game) series where I give you five dinner recipes that are not only delicious and easy to make, but will ensure you keep your significant other happy and around for the long haul. As a gut health dietitian, I want to provide you with dinner recipes that are nutrient-dense, but also give you recipes that can keep you and your partner living happily and health-ily ever after. So, I am welcoming you to Day 3 of my Marry Me Meals. Today's recipe is my husband's favorite, the Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad

Here's my thought process around this third dinner recipe: this is for my girls who are in the mood for a "girl dinner", but also need to cook for their partners. If you don't know the concept of "girl dinner", it basically refers to a low effort meal that is made from a collection of random foods. So, to my girls who aren't in the mood to cook dinner, but have to feed another human, this Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad is your answer. Everyone needs a caesar salad recipe that they can rely on, but is also made at the comfort of their own home.

This is going to be a dinner you can whip up in under 25 minutes and will still be filling and delicious. My favorite part about this salad are the breadcrumbs. Instead of using croutons here, I made lemony breadcrumbs, which add crunch and acidity to the salad, with little to no effort. All I did was toast sourdough bread, throw it into a food processor, then saute the breadcrumbs with lemon zest, olive oil, and salt. I kept the extra breadcrumbs so I could use them on another salad the next day! All you need is lettuce, chicken breast, your favorite Caesar dressing (I linked mine), bread, and you'll have your new-go to Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad.

Yields: 4

Portion: 1 salad (1 chicken)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

This recipe can be dairy free if you opt out of the parmesan.

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Ingredients:

Salad:

1 head of lettuce, finely chopped

6-8 oz Caesar dressing

Chicken:

2 large chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 thin cutlets

1 cup breadcrumbs (plain, seasoned, or panko for extra crunch)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Optional: ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup all purpose flour

Breadcrumbs:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs from old bread (I used sourdough)

2 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter

1 tbsp zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt, to taste

Garnish:

Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

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Instructions:

1. Prep lettuce: have lettuce washed and dried thoroughly before chopping. Set on the side to use later.

2. Prep chicken: preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease it with cooking spray. Set up breading station - you need three shallow bowls/plates - one for egg wash, one for flour, and one for breadcrumbs. For the breadcrumbs, combine breadcrumbs with parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix well.

3. Bread chicken: pat chicken dry with paper towels. Dredge in flour first. Dip each cutlet into egg mix, letting the excess drip off. Coat chicken thoroughly in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so crumbs stick. Repeat for each chicken and place onto baking sheet.

4. Bake chicken: bake the chicken cutlets for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. For extra crispiness: broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Allow cutlets to rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.

5. Make fresh breadcrumbs: tear bread and pulse it in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs in with and a pinch of salt. Stir well for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove pan from heat and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Allow breadcrumbs to cool, then use immediately or store in an airtight jar for up to a week.

6. Add dressing: in a mixing bowl, add in chopped lettuce. Mix in caesar dressing well to ensure lettuce is well coated.

7. Plate: grab serving plates and distribute lettuce. Layer on one sliced chicken cutlet onto each plate. Top with lemony breadcrumbs to your liking. Garnish with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. Enjoy!

FAQ:

1. Can I opt out of the chicken?: It's up to you and your dietary preferences. If you follow a vegetarian lifestyle, feel free to use crispy tofu instead.

2. Is this recipe good for meal prep?: Not really unfortunately. Caesar dressings tend to make salads soggy so I would recommend you enjoy this recipe fresh.

Recipe Notes:

1. Toppings: feel free to use extra toppings like fresh herbs (dill, parsley) or even extra lemon juice.

2. Bulk up the fiber: feel free to add more fiber to the recipe like with crispy chickpeas, lentils, or white kidney beans.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I did, so if you do, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I always read through my suggestions and comments, so please let me know your thoughts. If you have any questions you can feel free to DM me here or through Instagram. Speaking of Instagram - please tag me in all of your creations! I love seeing how the recipes come out and seeing how talented you all are. Sending my love.

xoxo,

Jasmin D the RD