Crispy Chicken Caesar Subs

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Crispy chicken cutlets and crunchy cabbage are a natural pairing (see: a classic plate of chicken katsu). Here, they're tucked into toasted rolls with a creamy Caesar dressing and a bright, crunchy slaw made with cabbage, radicchio, and parsley. Unlike traditional romaine, the slaw stays crisp long after being dressed, making it perfect for a hearty sandwich like this one. With the help of pre-toasted panko, these baked chicken cutlets are just as crispy as their fried counterparts.

The Components

Chicken Cutlets: parmesan-panko crusted cutlets are baked, not fried, to keep things weeknight-friendly and cut down on mess. Pre-toasted panko keeps them nice and crunchy.

Caesar Slaw: radicchio provides some gorgeous color and a sharp, peppery bite that contrasts beautifully with the rich dressing. Parsley and green cabbage bring freshness, crunch, and staying power.

Caesar Dressing: the classic flavors of parmesan, anchovy, lemon, and dijon tie the whole sandwich together. Some dressing gets tossed with the slaw, and the rest is generously slathered on the bread.

Parmesan: do use real parmigiano reggiano if you can — it has a stronger, nuttier flavor that really shines here. You can buy it pre-grated (not shredded!), or you can pulse chunks in a food processor.

Rolls: ciabatta works especially well here due to its sturdy crust and airy interior, but any large sandwich roll will do.

Toasted Panko, Streamlined Dredging

These chicken cutlets rely on two simple techniques: pre-toasted panko for maximum crunch, and a streamlined batter-and-breadcrumb dredge. I first encountered the toasted panko method in Just One Cookbook’s baked chicken katsu recipe, and it produces deeply golden, ultra-crispy chicken without any frying.

Rather than a traditional flour-egg-breadcrumb dredge, I use a seasoned batter made with flour, egg, and milk. The chicken is combined directly with the batter to eliminate an extra bowl and step.

I intentionally call for more breadcrumbs than many similar recipes, because I’ve found people tend to underestimate what is actually needed. I find it incredibly frustrating to run out of breadcrumbs before all the chicken is coated, so I'd much rather have a small amount left over than come up short.

Crispy Chicken Caesar Subs

Serves 4

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. 

  2. Toast the panko: toss the panko with olive oil and a generous pinch of salt on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, remove, and stir well. Return to the oven and continue to bake, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until evenly golden brown. Keep a close eye on the panko, as it burns quickly. It should take 15–25 minutes total.

    Set pan aside and allow to cool completely while you prepare the slaw and dressing.

  3. Meanwhile, prepare the slaw: thinly shred the cabbage and radicchio, and roughly chop the parsley. Combine in a large bowl, and place in the fridge. 

  4. Make the caesar dressing: use an immersion blender to combine mayo, lemon juice, anchovy, Worcestershire, and parmesan until very smooth. Use a fork to stir in the olive oil (it gets bitter when blended). Taste and season generously with black pepper, and add a small pinch of salt if needed.

  5. Prepare the breadcrumbs and batter: combine the toasted panko with grated parmesan and garlic powder. Place in an appropriate vessel for dredging: you can keep it right on the sheet pan you baked it on (my favorite option), or transfer to a large baking dish or bowl.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, Italian herbs, lemon zest, and dijon mustard. The batter should be fairly thick, but fluid enough to evenly coat the chicken — adjust with a splash of milk or extra flour if needed.

    Before proceeding, make sure you have two sheet pans set out and ready to go for baking the chicken. 

  6. Dredge and bake the chicken: Blot excess liquid off the chicken with a paper towel. Season lightly with salt, add to the bowl with the batter, and combine to coat evenly. Working with one “wet” hand and one “dry” hand, coat each piece of chicken generously in the panko-parmesan mixture, and place on a sheet pan.

    Bake chicken at 375F for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 155F.

  7. Assemble: slice sandwich rolls in half and lightly toast in the toast, oven, or in a pan. Toss the slaw with just enough dressing to lightly coat. Slather each slice of bread with caesar, then layer with chicken cutlets and slaw. Cut sandwiches in half and enjoy!

Chicken Cutlets:

  • 3 cups panko breadcrumbs 

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin cutlets

  • 2 large eggs

  • ¼ cup milk, any kind

  • ½ cup flour

  • 2 tsp dried Italian herbs 

  • Zest of 1 medium lemon

  • 1 tsp dijon mustard

  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Slaw

  • ½ a medium head of green cabbage

  • ½ a small head of radicchio

  • ½ a medium bunch of parsley

Caesar Dressing

  • ½ cup mayonnaise 

  • 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

  • 3 anchovy filets, or 1.5 tsp anchovy paste

  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 6 tbsp finely grated parmigiano reggiano

  • 6 tbsp olive oil

  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving:

  • 4 large sandwich rolls (I used ciabatta

Notes:

  • Every oven is different, so cooking times for the panko vary. Be sure to watch carefully.

  • The toasted panko can be prepared a day or two in advance.

  • Store-bought Caesar dressing and pre-shredded slaw mix will work if you're short on time.