Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps
A few years ago, we went to a fancy steakhouse for Derek’s birthday and ordered the “table side Caesar salad”, so the waiter came by and made the dressing from scratch with egg, anchovies, the whole bit. It was amazing (even better than our steaks!) and we vowed to try making it at home someday. Well last week that day finally came! I was surprised how easy the dressing was to make and we started plotting other ways to serve it. One of the top ideas was this lettuce wrap. It amps up the protein in the Caesar and is also a fun way to eat it!
Let’s get our wrap on!
The first order of business is to make the Caesar dressing. I should mention that if you are pregnant or have a sensitive digestive system, this dressing might not be for you as it has raw eggs. That being said, everyone who can should try homemade Caesar dressing at least once in their life! Add the anchovy paste, minced garlic and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl. I found anchovy paste in the canned meats/fish section of my local grocery store. It’s easier to deal with than whole anchovies and can be kept longer. If you can’t find it, use 6 oil-packed anchovies, drained and finely minced into a paste.
Now whisk in the egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard until it’s all combined. Next it’s time to whisk in the olive oil a little bit at a time.
Once that’s totally mixed in, gradually whisk in the vegetable oil until the dressing is emulsified (meaning the oil is completely blended in), thick and glossy.
Now whisk in the grated parmesan cheese and add more salt and lemon juice to your liking. The dressing can be made a day ahead.
The next step is crisping up the breadcrumbs. I thought croutons would be a little cumbersome on a lettuce wrap so I decided to use crispy breadcrumbs instead, they give the wraps a nice buttery, salty kick to add some crunch on top. If you’re watching your carbs, you could skip this step. Start by melting the butter in a small saucepan.
Then add the breadcrumbs and garlic salt to the pan and stir until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Take them off the heat and pour in a bowl.
Now add your shredded chicken to a bowl and stir in the Caesar dressing until all of the chicken is coated.
To serve, spoon some of the chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf. Try to get the Romaine hearts that are more sturdy. Top with shavings of parmesan and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. These wraps are super flavorful with the anchovy paste adding a lovely salty element, the lemon providing some needed freshness and the breadcrumbs adding that extra crunch on top.
Enjoy!
The chicken mixture will keep in the fridge another day if you have leftovers.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus shavings for topping
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- romaine lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Add the anchovy paste, minced garlic and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl.
- Whisk in the egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard until combined.
- Whisk in the olive oil a little bit at a time. Once that's totally mixed in, gradually whisk in the vegetable oil until the dressing is emulsified, thick, and glossy.
- Whisk in the grated parmesan cheese and add more salt and lemon juice to your liking.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic salt to the pan and stir until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Take off the heat and pour in a bowl.
- Add shredded chicken to a bowl and stir in the Caesar dressing until chicken is coated.
- To serve, spoon some of the chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf. Top with shavings of parmesan and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs.