CAESAR SALAD WRAPS

Weighing in on the classic

If you’re on Long Island TikTok, you’ve definitely seen a video or two of someone raving about the best chicken Caesar salad wrap at a deli or gourmet grocer out east. I have news: the best one is in North Brooklyn.. at my house. Kidding; but not really. This one has all the elements I’d consider ideal in a homemade chicken Caesar salad wrap—a bright, lemony, peppery, parm-y Caesar dressing (one that doesn’t require an egg yolk emulsion), thin-cut crunchy romaine, simple, well-seasoned chicken, crispy Calabrian chili breadcrumbs, and sometimes, but not always, sweet, spicy pickled cherry peppers.

You can swap the chicken for rotisserie chicken (or even some seasoned avocado slices) and replace the spicy breadcrumbs with crushed jalapeno chips for a speedier solution. If you want the entire thing to be spicy, stir in a tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste into the dressing, increasing by the teaspoonful to suit your taste. Or, you could skip the wrap entirely for a perfectly delicious chicken Caesar salad. You are the Julius Caesar of your Caesar salad (I wish Chef John was on Substack).

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Before we get into the recipe, a quick note: I hope to keep this newsletter free for as long as possible, so it would mean so much to me if you supported my work by ordering my cookbook, Third Culture Cooking, which features 100+ flavorful recipes that reflect my third culture perspective. Find signed copies here.

6 SERVINGS / 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

For the pesto chicken*:

2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders

⅔ cups (about 6 ounces) pesto

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Caesar dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

¼ teaspoon sugar*

Lots of freshly cracked black pepper

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard*

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 Tablespoon Calabrian chili paste, plus more, optional

For the Calabrian chili breadcrumbs*:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For assembling:

3 large heads (about 1 ½ pounds) romaine lettuce

10-12 inch wheat wraps or burrito-sized flour tortillas

Pepperoncini or sweet pickled cherry peppers, optional

*Instead of…

Pesto chicken, use avocado or rotisserie chicken

Sugar, use honey or maple syrup

Dijon mustard, use whole grain mustard

Calabrian chili breadcrumbs, use crushed jalapeno chips

METHOD

Center oven rack and set to broil (500F). To a medium bowl, add chicken, pesto, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Toss to evenly coat the tenders. Arrange in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil until cooked through and browned on the surface, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Add mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon juice, kosher salt, sugar, black pepper (more than you think), Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to a medium bowl. Whisk well until combined. For a spicy Caesar dressing, add one tablespoon Calabrian chili paste, increasing by the teaspoonful to suit your taste.

For the breadcrumbs, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chili paste and stir into oil. Add panko and kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Transfer spicy breadcrumbs to a small bowl; set aside.

Remove the tenders from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the lettuce and transfer to a very large mixing bowl. Warm the wraps if desired.

Return to the chicken and transfer to a cutting board. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and transfer to the bowl with the lettuce.

When ready to serve, pour dressing over chicken and lettuce. Using tongs or, ideally, your hands, toss until very well coated. If you prefer a lighter dress, reserve about ½ cup of the dressing and serve alongside for dipping.

To assemble the wraps, use a 1-cup measure to scoop a heaped portion of the salad onto a wrap. Sprinkle over 1-2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs, add a few slices of pickled peppers, if using, and secure into a tight wrap by folding the sides of the wrap in and holding them in place while rolling in the top and bottom edges. Cut in half and serve immediately (with iced tea!)