Crispy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Golden panko-crusted chicken with lemon zest and herbs in the crumb, sliced over creamy caesar-dressed pasta and crisp lettuce, buried under a snowfall of fresh Parmesan. Caesar salad and crispy chicken tenders had a baby — and it's dinner.
Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Total
35 min
Serves
2
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 chicken breast, halved lengthwise and pounded thin
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Oil, for frying
Herby breadcrumbs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp dried basil
Egg wash
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
Seasoned flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
Caesar dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1–2 tbsp water, to thin
To assemble
- 2 cups cooked pasta of choice (about 3/4 cup dry)
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- 1–2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper, to finish
Method
- 1
Season the chicken all over with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and smoked paprika.
- 2
Set up three bowls: whisked eggs and water; the seasoned flour; and the panko mixed with parsley, basil and lemon zest.
- 3
Bread each fillet with a double dip — into the egg wash, then the seasoned flour, back into the egg wash, and finally press firmly into the herby panko.
- 4
Fry in oil over medium heat for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Rest, then slice into strips.
- 5
Whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan, then stream in the olive oil while whisking until smooth. Thin with water to a drizzling consistency and season with salt and pepper.
- 6
Toss the pasta, lettuce and a handful of Parmesan with the olive oil, then fold through the caesar dressing until everything is creamy.
- 7
Plate the dressed pasta salad, fan the crispy chicken over the top, and finish with more Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon and black pepper.
- 8
Bon appetit
Tips
- The double dip (egg–flour–egg–panko) is what builds that extra-thick crunchy crust — don't skip the second egg pass.
- Lemon zest in the breadcrumbs is the sleeper move; it cuts through the creamy dressing.
- Dress the pasta while it's just barely warm — it drinks in the caesar flavor without wilting the lettuce.
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