Chicken Crust Caesar Salad (Printable)

A crispy chicken base topped with Caesar salad, Parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes for a fresh, healthy dish.

# Components:

→ Chicken Crust

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
08 - Olive oil or cooking spray for baking sheet

→ Caesar Salad Topping

09 - 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
10 - 1/4 cup Caesar dressing, store-bought or homemade
11 - 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
12 - Freshly ground black pepper for garnish

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - Cut chicken breasts into chunks and pulse in a food processor until finely ground, or chop very finely by hand.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
04 - Shape the mixture into a round 8 to 10 inches in diameter on the prepared baking sheet, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Pat evenly for uniform thickness.
05 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is firm, cooked through, and edges are golden brown.
06 - While the crust bakes, toss chopped romaine, Caesar dressing, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl.
07 - Let the baked chicken crust cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Spread the Caesar salad evenly over the crust.
09 - Drizzle with a little extra Caesar dressing and finish with freshly ground black pepper.
10 - Slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and pizza-like while keeping carbs low and protein sky-high, so you stay satisfied without the afternoon energy crash.
  • The whole thing takes under 45 minutes from start to eating, which means it works for busy weeknights when you want something impressive that doesn't require yeast or dough waiting around.
  • Your guests won't believe the crust is made entirely of chicken until you tell them, and that moment of surprise never gets old.
02 -
  • The crust will be most crispy immediately after baking, so don't let it sit around at room temperature for hours expecting it to stay perfect, because it will soften as it cools.
  • If your chicken is very wet after processing or chopping, squeeze out a little excess moisture with paper towels before mixing with the egg and cheese, or your crust will steam instead of crisp.
  • Taste your crust mixture before shaping it on the sheet, because once it's baked, you can't season it, and it needs to taste good enough to eat on its own.
03 -
  • Pat the shaped crust dry with a paper towel before baking if it looks wet, because moisture is the enemy of crispness, and this one small step makes a huge difference.
  • Don't skip the cooling step after baking, because two minutes might feel like forever but it lets the structure set enough to handle the weight of the salad without falling apart.
  • Make extra Caesar dressing if you're the type who likes things saucier, because you can always drizzle more, but you can't take it back once it's on.
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