These chicken Caesar lettuce cups take everything people love about a Caesar salad and turn it into a canapé you can eat in one bite. Crisp little gem leaves filled with lemony shredded chicken in a punchy homemade Caesar dressing, topped with Parmesan and golden toasted breadcrumbs. Familiar, fresh and always popular.
The dressing is what makes them. Anchovies, garlic, Dijon and lemon juice give it that savoury, sharp depth, and the egg yolks and olive oil make it rich and creamy. The trick is to add the oil slowly, a little at a time, beating with a fork as you go. This lets the dressing emulsify and thicken rather than split. If it does split, beat a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the split dressing into it. It will come back together. Using a tablespoon of the anchovy oil adds even more flavour. As the yolks are raw, use British Lion eggs, which are considered safe to eat raw or lightly cooked.
For the chicken, a quick marinade with lemon zest, salt and pepper keeps it bright. Sear it until golden, then finish in the oven, and make sure it’s cooked through before shredding. I shred it in the pan while it’s still warm so it soaks up all the juices, which keeps it moist and full of flavour.
If you’re short on time, ready-made Caesar dressing and pre-cooked chicken both work, and smoked chicken breast is especially good here. For extra crunch, swap the breadcrumbs for crispy bacon, or use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make the canapés gluten free.
These are ideal for drinks parties, summer gatherings, birthday parties and any time you want a crowd-pleasing canapé that feels light. To get ahead, make the dressing up to two days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge, cook the chicken the day before and toast the breadcrumbs, storing them in an airtight container. Separate and trim the lettuce leaves in the morning, keeping them in damp kitchen paper in the fridge. Mix the chicken with the dressing and assemble shortly before serving, adding the breadcrumbs at the last minute so they stay crisp.
recipe
Servings:
30 individual bites
Cook time:
20 minutes
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 little gem lettuces
4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
1 lemon (zest for the chicken, juice for the dressing)
6 anchovy fillets, plus 1 tbsp of their oil
1 garlic clove, grated
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Marinate the chicken with lemon zest, salt, pepper and a little olive oil.
3. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden, then bake for 16 minutes, or until firm.
4. Leave to cool, then shred with two forks (I do this in the pan so it soaks up the juices).
5. For the dressing, mix the anchovies, garlic, mustard and lemon juice in a bowl, breaking up the anchovies.
6. Stir in the egg yolks, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while beating with a fork until thickened.
7. Stir in the Parmesan and season.
8. Toast the breadcrumbs with olive oil, salt and pepper until golden.
9. Prep the lettuce leaves, trimming slightly for a neater shape.
10. Mix the chicken with the dressing, fill each lettuce cup, top with Parmesan and finish with the breadcrumbs.