Crispy Chicken Caesar Pita (Print version)

Crispy chicken and classic Caesar salad stuffed in warm pita pockets for an easy handheld meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crispy Chicken

01 - 2 large chicken breasts, cut into strips
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - Cooking spray

→ Caesar Salad

10 - 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
11 - ½ cup Caesar dressing
12 - ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
13 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

15 - 4 pita breads, warmed
16 - Extra Caesar dressing, for drizzling
17 - Lemon wedges (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Submerge chicken strips in buttermilk for 15 minutes to 2 hours to tenderize.
02 - Mix panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl.
03 - Remove chicken from buttermilk, shake off excess, and press each strip into breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated.
04 - Arrange chicken in air fryer basket in single layer, spray lightly with cooking spray, and cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through.
05 - Combine romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, shaved Parmesan, and cherry tomatoes in large bowl, tossing to coat evenly.
06 - Heat pita breads in dry skillet or microwave, then slice open to create pockets.
07 - Stuff each pita with Caesar salad mixture and 2-3 chicken strips. Drizzle with additional Caesar dressing and lemon juice if desired.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The air fryer gives you that perfect fried chicken crunch without the mess of oil
  • Everything comes together in about 35 minutes from start to finish
  • These pitas are portable enough for dinner on the couch but impressive enough for guests
02 -
  • Crowding the air fryer basket will make the chicken steam instead of crisp, work in batches if necessary
  • Let the chicken rest for a couple minutes after air frying so the coating stays crunchy when you bite into it
03 -
  • Pat the chicken strips mostly dry before coating them so the breadcrumbs actually stick
  • Preheating your air fryer for 3 minutes helps achieve that restaurant-quality crunch
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