Caesar Slaw with Crispy Chicken
This Caesar Slaw with Crispy Chicken is a hearty cabbage salad with creamy Caesar dressing, Parmesan, crunchy croutons, and golden homemade chicken tenders.
Servings: 5 servings (2 cups each)
Calories: 435kcal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For the Caesar Slaw
- ¼ head green cabbage about a half a pound, (8.5 oz.) $0.43
- ¼ head purple cabbage about a half a pound, (8.5 oz.) $0.59
- 2 green onions $0.32
- ½ cup Caesar dressing $0.49*
- 1 oz. Parmesan cheese grated, $0.68
- ½ cup croutons $0.32
For the Crispy Chicken
- 1 lb chicken tenders $5.66**
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt $0.33
- ¼ tsp salt $0.01
- 3 Tbsp water $0.00
- 1¾ cups panko breadcrumbs $0.82***
- ½ tsp onion powder $0.03
- ½ tsp garlic powder $0.03
- ¼ tsp salt $0.01
- ⅛ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.02
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil $0.12****
Instructions
- Gather ingredients. Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Prepare fresh ingredients: Dice both kinds of cabbage, separating the leaves. Dice green onions.
- Combine fresh ingredients in a large bowl or casserole dish and pour ½ cup Caesar dressing over the top.
- Toss the cabbage and green onions with the Caesar dressing and then grate 1 ounce of parmesan cheese over the top. Cover the salad and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate while you make your chicken.
- Combine chicken, Greek yogurt, ¼ tsp salt, and water.
- Cover the marinating chicken and refrigerate while you prep the breading.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together panko, onion powder, garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, pepper, and neutral oil.
- Spread the panko out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Toast the panko for 2-4 minutes in the oven until golden brown. It’s ok if the panko varies in color, toasting them before breading helps make these chicken tenders extra crispy, but they will continue to brown on the chicken during the baking process. Set a timer! The panko can burn fast!
- Transfer the toasted panko back to the mixing bowl you used to add the seasonings. One at a time, using your hands or tongs, toss the marinated chicken tenders in the toasted panko mixture, pressing it into the panko to make sure they are thoroughly covered on both sides.
- Transfer each breaded chicken tender to a parchment-lined baking sheet. (You can use the same parchment and baking sheet you toasted the panko crumbs on.)
- Bake the chicken tenders in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping them half way through. Make sure they reach the minimum internal temperature of 165F.
- Slice as many of the chicken tenders as you want into bite-sized pieces. (I would go for a serving size of ~2 tenders per person for this salad.)
- Add chicken and croutons to the marinated cabbage salad.
- Toss it all together and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
*The flavor of the dressing comes through strongly in this recipe, so use a bottled or homemade Caesar dressing you already know you enjoy. Some brands are thicker, saltier, or more garlicky than others. Add less dressing if you’re unsure…you can always add more to taste!
**The package of chicken tenders I bought at Walmart cost $4.92 per pound. It was just over 1 pound and included 9 large tenders. Chicken tenders can vary quite a bit in size. I usually plan on about two tenders per serving (give or take). You can also just slice all the cooked chicken and divide it evenly among the five servings.
***Panko breadcrumbs are larger and lighter than regular breadcrumbs, which gives the chicken a crunchier, more textured coating. Regular breadcrumbs will also work, but the coating will be slightly less crispy.
****A neutral oil helps the panko toast, brown, and crisp without adding a strong flavor. Canola, vegetable, avocado, or grapeseed oil all work well here.
Meal prep: Store the dressed cabbage (with the green onion and Parmesan), cooked chicken, and croutons separately. Refrigerate the cabbage and chicken in airtight containers for 3-4 days, then combine everything just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (2 cups) | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 922mg | Fiber: 3g