This recipe is a mashup of two of my favorite things: miso and caesar salad.
It’s a light, Japanese-inspired take on a classic caesar. Same salad you already know and love, just with a miso caesar dressing and a crispy sesame chicken cutlet on top.
If you’re a caesar person, put this one on your list. It keeps everything you love about the original and adds one small tweak to make it feel a little novel and fun.
Let’s start with the dressing, because I could eat it with a spoon. You layer a little white miso into the usual caesar base, and it adds just a bit of extra umami along with the anchovies and Worcestershire.
Then the chicken. It’s a cutlet breaded in panko and a heavy handful of toasted sesame seeds, so it’s your protein and your crouton in one.
It’s also super simple. The whole thing takes 35 minutes, and you can cook the chicken on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer (my favorite way).
And it has 52 grams of protein per serving, so it filling enough for lunch or dinner.
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Why You’ll Love This Miso Caesar Salad
- Healthy, but not too healthy. This is one of those craveable recipes that still does right by you. You get a big serving of veggies, 52 grams of protein, and, I mean, it’s a salad after all.
- 35 minutes start to finish. Breading the chicken takes a couple of steps, but I promise it’s under 5 minutes of actual work, so the whole thing still comes together in 35. Great for a weeknight, or even a quickish lunch when you’ve got a little time.
- Tons of umami. I honestly thought a caesar couldn’t get any better before I tried this, but adding a little miso to the dressing brings it to another level.
- Lots of ways to make it. The salad itself is no-cook, and the chicken can be made on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer (which is my favorite).
Love caesars as much as I do? Try my High-Protein Chicken Caesar Wrap. Super simple to make and perfect for a quick lunch or meal prep.
Key Ingredients
This miso ceasar salad is pretty simple. If you’ve got the caesar dressing ingredients on hard, you really only need a couple of other items.
- White miso paste. You obviously can’t make a miso caesar salad without it. We’re using shiro (white) miso here, which is mild, sweet, and full of umami.
- Greek yogurt and mayo. All my caesar dressings use a mix of greek yogurt and mayo, because you get a super creamy dressing that’s a little lighter than the full-mayo version.
- Anchovies and Worcestershire. The classic caesar duo, and the miso plays right into their salty, savory flavor. The anchovies are, I guess, optional, but I’d really recommend trying them. It doesn’t taste fishy, it just adds to that salty umami.
- Romaine. My lettuce of choice for caesar. If I can find them, I love the baby romaine hearts because they’re extra crispy.
- Chicken breasts. Pound them thin, do a quick breading, and cook until crispy for that chicken-and-crouton combo in one.
- Parmesan. Grated into the dressing and shaved over the top, so you get that sharp, salty, nutty flavor in every bite.
Want more caesar recipes? My Kale Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is one of the most popular recipes on my site.
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How to Make It
This recipe comes together in 35 minutes from start to finish. The caesar salad is super easy, and the crispy sesame chicken comes together much faster than you’d think.
Bread your chicken
Set up a quick station with three bowls: one with flour, one with a beaten egg, and one with your panko-sesame mixture. Pound your chicken to an even half-inch thickness, then dredge it first in the flour, then the egg, then the panko mixture.
Cook your chicken
Choose your method: stovetop, oven, or air fryer (my favorite), and cook until golden and crispy.
Whisk up your dressing
Add all the caesar ingredients to a bowl along with a bit of miso, and whisk until smooth and combined.
Toss your salad
Remove about a third of the dressing and set it aside. Throw in your baby romaine hearts and toss until evenly coated, then add a bit more dressing to your liking.
Assemble
Add your tossed romaine to a bowl. Top with the sliced crispy sesame chicken cutlet, then finish with shaved parmesan, a bit of extra toasted sesame seeds, and some thinly sliced green onion.
If you often make dinner for two, my Healthy Air Fryer Meals for Two roundup was made for you.
Victoria’s Tips
There are a couple of things that take this miso caesar salad from good to great.
- Don’t skip pounding the chicken. Pounding it out doesn’t just help it cook more evenly; it also makes it super tender. (It took me waaayy too long to invest in an actual meat pounder, but it’s a game changer and has all kinds of uses).
- Don’t overcrowd. Whether you’re cooking the chicken on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer, leaving enough space around it so it cooks evenly is the secret to getting it golden and crispy.
- Use toasted sesame seeds. You can find them at most stores, or toast your own, but the flavor is so much deeper and richer than untoasted, so this one’s non-negotiable.
- Look for baby romaine hearts. They’re pretty easy to find and are so much crisper, more tender, and milder than their larger counterparts.
Storage & Meal Prep
Store the dressing and romaine separately and toss just before serving. The dressing keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you pre-cook the chicken, the best way to re-crisp it is in the oven or air fryer, but it’s really best eaten fresh.
FAQ
Shiro (white) miso has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that really works here. If all you have is red or barley miso, you can try that too, but start with less and work your way up since they’re stronger and saltier.
No, they’re not, but they add a ton of that classic caesar depth that complements the miso so well. I promise it doesn’t taste fishy, but if you’re opposed, just leave them out.
The air fryer is my favorite for the crispiest result with the least oil, but the oven and stovetop also do a great job.
Totally, and it’s an easy swap. Use gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose, and gluten-free panko in place of the regular. Just double-check the rest of your caesar ingredients and miso are gluten-free too.
Miso Caesar Salad with Crispy Sesame Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pound and bread the chicken (optional)Pound 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts to ½-inch thick. Set up three shallow bowls: ¼ cup all-purpose flour in one, 1 large egg, and ½ cup panko breadcrumbs tossed with ¼ cup sesame seeds in the third. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper, then dredge each piece in the flour, dip in the egg, and press firmly into the panko-sesame mixture to coat all over.
- Cook the chicken (pick one method)For the air fryer, spray both sides with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and the internal temperature hits 165°F (75°C). For the pan, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F (75°C) inside. For the oven, set the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until 165°F (75°C). Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Make the dressingIn a bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt, 1 tbsp white miso paste, ¼ cup grated parmesan, ½ lemon, zest & juice, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp anchovy paste (if using), and black pepper. You can thin with a bit of water if desired.
- Toss the saladIn a large bowl, toss 4 cups chopped baby romaine hearts with about three-quarters of the dressing, adding more to taste.
- AssemblePile the dressed romaine onto plates and add the sliced sesame chicken and finish with any remaining dressing. Top with shaved parmesan, toasted sesame seeds, and thinly sliced green onions.
Nutrition
Notes
- White (shiro) miso keeps the dressing mild and slightly sweet. If you only have red or barley miso, start with less since they are saltier and stronger.
- The miso, parmesan, worcestershire, and anchovy all bring salt, so taste the dressing before adding any extra.
- For the crispiest chicken, don’t crowd the pan or basket so the coating can brown on every side.
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More Recipes To Try
- 17 Easy Air Fryer Dinner Ideas (High-Protein & Ready in 30)
- 10 Healthy Air Fryer Meals for Two with 30+ Grams of Protein
- 7 High-Protein Meals with 50 Grams of Protein
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A fun take on a classic caesar. Will be making this again.
WOW! When I saw this recipe I was looking for something refreshing to eat in this heat. Little did I know this would be one of the best recipes I’ve ever cooked! This WILL be on retainer in my house. I can’t have lactose or eggs, so I used Fage lactose free Greek yogurt and Veganaise for the dressing, and then used Veganaise as a binder for the chicken instead of an egg, and it came out INCREDIBLE. Rare for me to get to eat Caesar that actually tastes like Caesar with my restrictions but this was spot on. LOVED it!
This makes me so happy to hear Very grateful for your feedback, Olivia.
Delicious!!! My new favorite Caesar Salad!
So happy to hear. Thanks, Hege!