Crispy chicken Caesar Salad

A twist on the classic with tender, juicy chicken coated in a crunchy, golden Panko breadcrumb, paired with fresh and crispy romaine lettuce tossed in a rich and creamy Caesar dressing made lighter using natural yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Ready in less than 20 minutes with an air fryer (or see notes below for pan-fry or oven methods*). Perfect as a satisfying lunch or a light dinner and packed with 50g of protein, it’s everything you love about Caesar salad with minimal effort and maximum taste.

Time to make : 20 minutes

Serves : 2

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

30g plain flour

1 egg, beaten

40g Panko breadcrumbs

40g Parmesan cheese, very finely grated

1/2 lemon, zest of

1/2 tsp salt

Large head of romaine, cos or little gem lettuce.

Caesar dressing

120g natural yogurt

30g Parmesan cheese, very finely grated

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp honey

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Salt and pepper, to season

Method

1. Loosely wrap the chicken breasts in cling film (or place them in a ziplock bag) and gently bash them with a rolling pin to flatten them slightly. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture.

2. Set up a breadcrumbing station with three shallow bowls or large plates. In the first, add the flour. In the second, beat the egg. In the third, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the finely grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and salt.

3. Dip each chicken breast into the flour, ensuring it's fully coated and shaking off any excess. Next, dip it into the beaten egg and finally press it into the panko breadcrumb mixture, using your fingers to press down and coat the chicken evenly.

4. Lightly spray both sides of the breaded chicken with cooking oil spray* and place them in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 200ºC for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. In a small food processor (or small bowl with whisk), combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well. If you're not using a food processor, your sauce will be a bit thicker from the Parmesan cheese, but it will still taste delicious. For a runnier dressing, add more natural yogurt.

6. Slice the lettuce with a sharp knife and toss it with the Caesar dressing, making sure it's well coated. Serve the salad with the crispy breadcrumbed chicken breasts and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.

   
   

Nutritional Information

(per serve)

526 cals

22g fat, 26g carbs, 50g protein

Good to know:

• To pan-fry: after breading the chicken, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the breaded chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for about 4–5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Once done, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.

• To oven-bake: Pre-heat a fan oven to 180ºC and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

  Place the breaded chicken breasts on the baking sheet and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.

• Make sure you use a light coating of cooking oil spray on your breaded chicken breasts before air frying them, otherwise the breadcrumbs can loosely fly around the air dryer drawer. Cooking oil spray it's easier to evenly cover foods for the air fryer rather than drizzling over oil, and it also helps to add the golden crispy finish. I use and love this oil in my air fryer.

• Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Ideally store the salad dressing separately to keep the salad fresh. The breaded chicken can be eaten cold of warmed up and re-crisped for a few minutes in the air fryer.