Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken Caesar Salad

Sharing is caring!

Crispy, golden, and packed with flavor, this Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken Caesar Salad is a game-changer for weeknight dinners or a simple lunch option. Chicken breasts are coated in a savory Parmesan and breadcrumb crust, then air-fried to crunchy perfection—no deep frying required! Tossed with crisp romaine, creamy Caesar dressing, and crunchy, garlicky croutons made from scratch, this salad is anything but ordinary!

Contains affiliate links

Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken Caesar Salad with homemade air fryer herb croutons is quite a mouthful! The wording and the actual salad. 😉 See what I did there. 😁

One weekend I was really craving a crispy chicken Caesar salad, so off to the grocery store I went. Because when you’re craving something specific, you just have to make it!

I grabbed my ingredients, which included pre-packaged croutons. Then I walked by the bakery breads. I already knew I was going to air fry the chicken, but I thought it would be so easy and way more delicious to make the croutons from the bakery bread right there in my air fryer. I was right! Wow, they are good!

I decided that it was ok to take a short cut with bottled Caesar dressing, since I was making the croutons, though. I didn’t feel like messing around with anchovies and all that when I had a salad to devour.

Lunch that day was delicious! It was exactly what I wanted and I hope you love it, too!

So, whether you’re looking for a light-yet-satisfying meal or a way to elevate your classic Caesar salad, this recipe delivers on taste, texture, and ease. Get ready to ditch the takeout and enjoy a fresh, restaurant-quality salad right at home!

What You’ll Need

Find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips!

On the recipe card below, click “print recipe” and from there you can print out the page or screenshot it to save to your phone’s photo album.

Pin this recipe to save to Pinterest so you can make it later! You can Pin It from the recipe card below. Just click the “Pin Recipe” button. If you’d like to follow me on Pinterest , my page is Steph Gigliotti.

See below for oven baking instructions, as well.

Equipment:

• Air Fryer- I love my Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer
• Three shallow bowls for your dredging station
• Bread knife

Croutons:

• 2 cups Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes. I’m using Italian 5 Grain bread from the Publix Bakery. It was delicious! Sourdough would also be a great crouton option.
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp pepper 

Chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp salt – divided
• 1 tsp pepper – divided 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning 

Salad :

• 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/4-1/3 cup Caesar dressing 
• Fresh parmesan cheese, for topping

How To Make It

Cook the Croutons:

• Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for 4 minutes. 
• In a bowl, combine the cubed Italian bread, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir together to evenly coat the bread.

• Spread the bread cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket as much as possible.

• Air fry at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until the croutons are golden brown. Set aside.

Slice the Chicken:

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise.

Set Up a Dredging Station:

• In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
• In a second shallow dish, whisk the 2 eggs.
• In a third shallow dish, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

• Dip each chicken breast on both sides into the flour mixture, then the eggs, and lastly the panko Parmesan mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

• Lay each piece of chicken in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if the basket is small.

Air Fry The Chicken:

• Air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes, flip the chicken and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes. 

• Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes, then cut into slices.

So juicy!

Prepare the Salad:

• Place the lettuce in a bowl.
• Add the croutons and ¼–⅓ cup Caesar dressing (to taste). Toss to coat.

Put It All Together:

• Divide the salad between 4 bowls.
• Add the sliced chicken on top of each salad.
• Shave Parmesan over each salad and enjoy!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti on social media and #StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish! Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section.  

Oven Baking Instructions

Make the Croutons

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a bowl, combine the cubed Italian bread, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the bread.
3. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Next, the Chicken

1. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets.
3. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
4. In a second shallow dish, whisk the 2 eggs.
5. In a third shallow dish, mix the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
6. Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour, then the eggs, and finally coat it well in the panko Parmesan mixture, pressing gently to adhere.

Bake the Chicken

1. Arrange the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with oil for extra crispiness.
2. Bake for 18-22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
3. Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes, then slice.

Prepare the Salad

1. In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with the croutons and ¼–⅓ cup Caesar dressing (adjust to taste).
2. Divide the salad among 4 bowls.
3. Top each with the sliced chicken.
4. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and serve immediately.

Tips

• Reheat leftover chicken in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 3 minutes, or until heated through. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or reheat in a skillet over medium high heat.
• Store leftover croutons in an airtight container for 2 days.
• Try ranch dressing in place of Casaer.
• Instead of a salad, top a bed of Alfredo Pasta with the Parmesan Crusted Chicken or use the chicken on a sandwich.

Try These Next

• Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
• Oven Baked Potato Wedges
• Roasted Balsamic Honey Glazed Carrots
• Potato Croquettes
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Sign up for our newsletter to get new recipes sent right to your inbox! Follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube , Pinterest, and TikTok.