Light Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken

Ingredients

• 300 g Chicken fillets (Cut into tenders or pieces; rub with salt and lemon juice before breading.)
• 0.5 Lemon (To tenderize and season the chicken.)
• Salt (To taste, for the chicken, egg, and breadcrumbs.)
• 1 Egg (Beaten; used as the binder for the breading.)
• 1 tsp Paprika (Use some in the egg and the rest in the breading.)
• 0.5 tsp Ground chili pepper (Optional or adjust to taste.)
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (Optional, but recommended by the author.)
• 60 g Panko breadcrumbs (Mixed with cornstarch.)
• 20 g Cornstarch (Mix with the panko.)
• 1 tsp Olive oil spray (To lightly spray the chicken before baking.)
• 3 tbsp Plain yogurt or skyr (Base of the dressing; the author uses skyr in the video.)
• 1 tsp Mustard (For the dressing.)
• 3 Anchovies (A few fillets; you may use some of their oil in the dressing.)
• 1 tsp Olive oil or anchovy oil (A drizzle, adjusted to achieve the desired texture and flavor.)
• 20 g Grated Parmesan (Use some in the dressing and the rest as shavings for serving.)
• 1 Romaine lettuce (Thinly sliced or torn into bite-sized pieces.)
• 100 g Stale bread (For the croutons; lightly moistened with a little water before baking, as shown in the video.)
• 2 tbsp Water (To lightly moisten the stale bread before turning it into croutons.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Rub the chicken fillets with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Let them rest for a few minutes, then lightly pat off any excess liquid.

3. 3

   In a shallow dish, mix the panko breadcrumbs, cornstarch, paprika, chili pepper, Cajun seasoning, and a pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Beat the egg in another bowl and mix in some of the spice mixture.

5. 5

   Dip each piece of chicken into the seasoned beaten egg, then generously coat it with the panko and cornstarch mixture. Press the breading lightly so it adheres well.

6. 6

   Arrange the breaded chicken on the baking sheet without letting the pieces touch. Lightly spray with olive oil.

7. 7

   Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through, until the breading is golden and the chicken reaches 74 °C internally.

8. 8

   Meanwhile, cut the stale bread into cubes. Lightly moisten them with the water without soaking them, then spread the cubes on a baking sheet.

9. 9

   Bake the bread cubes until golden and crispy, about 8 to 12 minutes. Watch them carefully to prevent them from burning.

10. 10

    Make the dressing by blending the yogurt or skyr, mustard, anchovies, oil, and Parmesan until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

11. 11

    Thinly slice or tear the romaine lettuce and place it in a large salad bowl.

12. 12

    Add a generous portion of the dressing to the salad and toss thoroughly to coat all the leaves.

13. 13

    Slice the crispy chicken into strips and place them on the dressed salad.

14. 14

    Add the golden croutons and Parmesan shavings. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.

Notes

The quantities of chicken, breading, spices, salad, and croutons were not specified in the source and have been estimated for two servings. The video shows skyr used instead of plain yogurt and croutons made with stale bread that has been lightly moistened. For crispier breading, leave space between the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and serve the salad as soon as it is assembled.

Nutrition per serving

• salad
• main course
• chicken
• crispy
• oven-baked
• light
• mayonnaise-free
• high-protein