Name: Spicy Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 large slice sourdough bread, slightly stale, cubed; 1-2 tsp olive oil; Salt & pepper; 3 tbsp kewpie (or regular) mayonnaise; 1 clove garlic, minced; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1/2 tbsp anchovy paste; 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp dijon mustard; 1/2 tbsp Calabrian chiles, minced; 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, plus more to serve; 1 tbsp water if needed to thin out the dressing; Salt & pepper to taste; 15-20 chicken nuggets; 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped and washed; 1/4 cup Parmesan crisps

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I could eat Caesar Salad for every single meal, I swear. And this Spicy Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets is literally the EASIEST salad you will ever make. As much as I love grilling a juicy chicken breast, sometimes I don’t want to put in the effort to cook protein, so chicken nuggets come to the rescue! This salad literally takes about 5 minutes of active cook time to put together, so it’s a quick and easy meal you can enjoy any night of the week.

A bowl of caesar salad with spicy calabrian chili caesar dressing, parmesan crisps, homemade croutons, and chicken nuggets.

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When you have the munchies but you want something healthy-ish, a salad is the perfect option. The combination of textures from a crunch base, crispy croutons, and creamy dressing is a satisfying mouth experience that a bag of Takis just can’t replicate.

Caesar salad is not just an obsession for me, it’s a lifestyle. I could eat it as a salad, as a wrap, piled on top of a crispy chicken cutlet. I think about Caesar salad on a weekly basis. I’m not even a fan of mayonnaise, but this dressing and salad has me in a chokehold.

10-Minute Dinner: Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets

This Spicy Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets can be made with so little effort. It’s made with chopped romaine, frozen chicken nuggets, and a homemade crouton (though, you could buy store-bought croutons to save even more cook time). The dressing is so easy to whip up, the whole salad comes together in about 10-15 minutes.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s a quick and easy dinner. Seriously, toast some cubed bread, air-fry some chicken nuggets, and mix together a dressing with some pantry staples. It’s a dinner that can be on the table in under 15 minutes.
It’s got a kick. If you don’t have Calabrian chilis, you can omit the ingredient. I get my jar of Calabrian chilis from Trader Joe’s but you can often find chopped Calabrian chilis in your grocer’s canned goods aisle near jarred peppers.
It’s low-mess. All you really need is a cutting board, a knife, a large salad bowl, and an air fryer basket. I used a cast iron skillet to toast my croutons, but you can toast yours on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven or toaster oven for even easier cleanup!

Ingredients for Spicy Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets. You can use any brand of chicken nugget, but we are huge fans of the Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites. They taste just like Chick-Fil-A, but not homophobic!
Chopped Romaine. The best base for Caesar Salad, honestly.
Mayonnaise. Mayo is the base for a Caesar dressing. I use Kewpie Mayo or homemade mayo because although I am a staunch mayo hater, for some reason I can tolerate mayonnaise when it’s either made by myself or made in Japan.
Calabrian Chilis. This is what gives the salad a spicy kick. You can find chopped Calabrian chilis at your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s.
Garlic. As much as your heart desires.
Parmesan. Again, as much as your heart desires.
Lemon juice.
Dijon.
Worcestershire sauce. Also known as, “Wash your sister” sauce.
Anchovy paste. You can use anchovy filets, too, just mince it into a paste.
Sourdough. It’s best if it’s a little bit stale. You’ll toss this in some olive oil and season with salt and pepper before toasting.
Parmesan crisps. Have you ever added parmesan crisps to a Caesar salad? Life-changing.

How to Make a Spicy Chicken Nugget Caesar Salad

Keep on scrolling to reach the full recipe with measurements on the recipe card. Here’s an overview (with photos) of each step, in case you’re lost and need some visual guidance (it’s okay, I’m a visual learner, too).

Toast the croutons. Again, you can use store-bought croutons if you want to skip a cooking step. You can also make your croutons a few different ways. I like to toss my cubed, stale sourdough in some olive oil, salt, and pepper, then toast on medium heat in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop, tossing it around every few minutes until golden brown and crispy. You can also crisp these up in a toaster oven at 350ºF for about 15 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. If you prefer to use your oven, preheat it to 375ºF and bake the croutons in a single layer for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through baking.
Cook the chicken nuggets. Not pictured here, but cook your chicken nuggets according to package instructions. I prefer to use my air fryer, set to 370ºF, for 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
Mix the dressing. Add mayonnaise, Calabrian chilis, dijon, Worcestershire, anchovy paste, garlic, and lemon juice to the bottom of a large salad bowl. Whisk it together, then add parmesan and mix. Add about 1 tbsp of water to thin out the dressing.
Toss the salad. Add the chopped romaine to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat the lettuce.
Plate and add your toppings. Split the dressed lettuce between two bowls, then top with as much extra grated Parmesan as your little heart desires, cooked croutons, Parmesan crisps, and cooked chicken nuggets.

small cubes of sourdough bread being toasted in a cast iron skillet — Cut the sourdough into small cubes, then coat in 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add oil. Toast the sourdough until golden and crispy.

A large mixing bowl full of caesar dressing ingredients, including kewpie mayonnaise, calabrian chilis, lemon juice, garlic, worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, and dijon. — Add mayonnaise, calabrian chilis, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, dijon, and anchovy paste to a bowl and mix.

Parmesan being added into a large mixing bowl with caesar dressing. — Add parmesan and whisk together. Add about 1 tbsp water to thin out the dressing.

Adding chopped romaine lettuce to a bowl with a calabrian caesar salad dressing — Add chopped romaine to the dressing.

Romaine lettuce tossed in spicy caesar salad dressing — Toss the romaine lettuce in the caesar dressing until well coated.

Caesar dressed romaine in a bowl with parmesan. — Split the romaine into two bowls, then top with extra grated parmesan.

Croutons and parmesan crisps added to a bowl of romaine lettuce with calabrian caesar dressing and lots of parmesan. — Top the salad with croutons and parmesan crisps.

Cooked chicken bites added to a calabrian caesar salad with croutons and parmesan crisps. — Add cooked chicken nuggets to the salad and sprinkle with more freshly grated parmesan.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Make it vegetarian. Replace the chicken nuggets with a plant-based alternative, like Impossible Chicken Nuggets, roasted cauliflower bites, Daring Gluten Free Plant Chicken Wings, or another similar product. Instead of using anchovy paste, use capers! Worcestershire sauce also contains fish, so swap that out for some soy sauce instead.
Make it vegan. In addition to the swaps for the vegetarian version, replace the mayo with vegan mayo and use plant-based parmesan-style cheese, too!
Make it gluten-free. Instead of homemade croutons, I like to use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, toasted in some butter or olive oil in a skillet. To replace the nuggets, look for a gluten-free chicken nugget to use instead. Most Worcestershire sauce will also be gluten-free, but check the label just in case. You can always swap it out with a gluten-free soy sauce alternative, like Tamari or Liquid Aminos.
Don’t have Worcestershire? Use soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos instead.
Don’t have Calabrian chilis, but want some heat? Add sriracha instead!
Don’t have anchovy paste? A good alternative to using anchovies in a Caesar salad is to use capers to provide a similar salty umami to the dressing.
Lighten up your dressing. You can replace mayonnaise with Greek yogurt to make a lower-fat version of this Caesar dressing!

Storing Caesar Salad Ingredients

How to store Caesar dressing. Always store this Caesar dressing separate from the other salad ingredients to avoid having soggy lettuce. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks.
How to store chopped romaine. Got leftover chopped romaine? Wash and dry the romaine well using a salad spinner. Then wrap the romaine in a damp paper towel and store it in a plastic container or large zip-top plastic bag with some space. It’ll stay crisper, longer!

Equipment