Description
This Crispy Chicken Caesar Sandwich recipe offers a perfect blend of crunchy, tender chicken breast seasoned and fried to golden perfection, paired with a tangy Caesar dressing and fresh romaine lettuce on crusty sourdough bread. Perfect for a satisfying lunch, this sandwich combines classic Caesar salad flavors with the comfort of a fried chicken sandwich.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crispy Chicken:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the Caesar Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly:
- 4 slices of your favorite bread (crust sourdough recommended)
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cup croutons
- Optional: bacon or shaved Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness between plastic wrap to ensure uniform cooking.
- Make the flour coating: In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Set up dipping stations: Pour buttermilk into a second shallow dish, and place panko bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Dredge the chicken: Coat each chicken breast first in the flour mixture, then dip into buttermilk, and finally coat thoroughly with panko bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat this sequence to build an extra crispy crust.
- Heat the oil: In a large skillet, warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat until a pinch of bread crumbs sizzles immediately, ensuring it’s hot enough for frying.
- Fry the chicken: Cook the chicken breasts in batches for about 4-5 minutes per side until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain oil temperature.
- Drain the chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a wire rack to drain excess oil and keep the crust crisp.
- Prepare the Caesar dressing: While the chicken cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Slice the chicken: Once cooled slightly, slice each cooked chicken breast horizontally in half for sandwich layering.
- Assemble the sandwich: Spread the Caesar dressing evenly over each bread slice. On one slice, layer chopped romaine lettuce, then the sliced chicken, and top with croutons.
- Finish the sandwich: Place the remaining bread slice on top. Optionally, add bacon or shaved Parmesan for extra flavor.
- Serve: Cut the sandwich in half for easier handling and serve immediately while the chicken is hot and crispy.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double dredge the chicken by repeating the flour-buttermilk-panko coating once more before frying.
- Use a wire rack to drain fried chicken to keep the crust from becoming soggy.
- Homemade croutons or store-bought ones can be used depending on convenience.
- The dressing can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for better flavor integration.
- Substitute sourdough bread with your preferred bread, but crusty bread works best to hold the sandwich together.
- Check chicken internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safety and juiciness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
