Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Salad with Bacon, Egg & Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Thin chicken cutlets breaded in panko and real Parmesan, pan-fried until the crust shatters, then sliced over crisp romaine with bacon, jammy eggs and a bright lemon-Parmesan vinaigrette. The dressing goes on the greens — never the chicken — so the crust stays audibly crisp from the first bite to the last.

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb total)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 2 oz)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 6 slices thick-cut bacon
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large hearts of romaine, chopped into 1-inch ribbons (about 10 cups)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 oz Parmesan, shaved with a peeler
• 1 lemon lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Lower in the 4 salad eggs, boil for exactly 7 1/2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Peel and halve; set aside.
2. Lay the bacon in a cold 12-inch skillet, set over medium heat, and cook 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply crisp. Drain on paper towels, then crumble. Wipe the skillet clean and reserve it for the chicken.
3. Make the vinaigrette: in a jar or bowl, whisk the lemon juice, zest, grated garlic, Dijon, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream, then stir in the 1/3 cup grated Parmesan. It should be pourable and slightly creamy — add 1 teaspoon water at a time if it thickens too much. Refrigerate until serving.
4. Halve each chicken breast horizontally to make 4 thin fillets. Place them one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or heavy pan to an even 1/4 inch. Season both sides with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
5. Set up three shallow dishes: flour in the first; the 2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon Dijon in the second; panko tossed with the 1 cup grated Parmesan, garlic powder and oregano in the third.
6. Dredge each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dip fully in egg and let the drips fall away, then press firmly into the panko-Parmesan on both sides so the crust really adheres. Set the breaded cutlets on a wire rack and let them sit 10 minutes while the oil heats.
7. Pour the frying oil into the reserved skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium until it reads 350°F (a pinch of panko should sizzle steadily on contact). Fry two cutlets at a time for 2 1/2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and the thickest part registers 165°F. Adjust the heat so the crust browns slowly — Parmesan scorches fast.
8. Transfer the fried cutlets to a clean wire rack set over a sheet pan (never paper towels, which steam the crust) and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Fry the remaining two cutlets, then rest all of them 3 minutes.
9. In a large bowl, toss the romaine, cherry tomatoes and red onion with about two-thirds of the vinaigrette until the leaves are just glossy. Divide among 4 wide plates or shallow bowls.
10. Slice each cutlet crosswise into 1-inch strips and fan over the dressed greens. Scatter with crumbled bacon, tuck 2 egg halves onto each plate, and finish with shaved Parmesan, a grind of black pepper and a lemon wedge. Serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side and eat immediately, while the crust is still crackling.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem