Happy Sunday! The start of a new month always gets me motivated to lean into the habits that make me feel best, so today I’m taking some time to make a successful week possible. Making my to-do list for the week, scheduling in my workouts, doing some much needed cleaning, and of course allocating a couple of hours for meal prep.
If you’re looking for a simple and actionable plan to follow, start today and join in on the August Meal Prep Plan! Today we’re prepping peaches & cream overnight oats, sausage and kale egg bake with hash browns, ginger scallion meatballs bowls, and warm tofu noodle salads.
Aside from all things meal prep, this week I shared a brand new recipe that I can’t stop thinking about and I’m not done talking about. So today’s newsletter is dedicated to this standout summer recipe: Tahini Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad.
It’s the ultimate recipe collab: Caesar salad meets pasta salad. Add in crispy panko chicken, creamy tahini dressing, and brown rice rotini (the best pasta shape for catching all that sauce) and you’re set. It’s crunchy, creamy, a little tangy, and exactly the kind of meal that hits the spot every time.
The chicken gets golden and crunchy in a skillet, the dressing is a whisk-and-done situation, and the pasta helps bulk things up to make this a full meal. It’s the kind of dish that works for literally any mood—lazy Sunday dinner, meal-prepped lunches you’ll actually look forward to, or any kind of hosting situation. Grab the full recipe and all the tips and tricks to make this one below!
The Dredging Station™. A chicken caesar salad on its own really can hit, but when you add a crispy chicken element, there’s no going back. Dredging gives that perfect crispy crust around the chicken. They key to that is a well prepared dredging station. Set your station up with one starch/flour plate, one egg plate, and one crumb plate (panko always)—trays like these give even more room for activities! My top tip: one hand for dry one hand for wet—thank me later!! Chill the dredged chicken in the freezer for about 15 minutes before frying to ensure the coating stays on.
Crispy chicky. I promise pan frying is not as scary as it seems, just prepare yourself for a little bit of extra cleanup afterwards. Make sure you’re using a large skillet or opt for a large pot to make less mess! I use avocado oil to fry as it has a higher smoke point than olive oil, but any other neutral oil will work too. The chicken cooks quick in here, but don’t move it around too much or you’l lose the delicious crispy coating. Let the chicken cool on a wire rack for best results.
The dressing. Please do not tell me what’s in actual caesar dressing, I’m aware and while I do love the taste, I get a little freaked out (I’m a mayo hater 🫣). In this recipe, we’re using tahini to bring a similar creaminess and add a subtle nutty twist to the traditional dressing. It’s a very simple dressing with just tahini, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and a smidge of warm water!
Ready for her close up!! After all the components are prepped, it’s time for assembly. Layer your cooked pasta (I used this brown rice rotini!), chopped romaine, chopped crispy chicken, and drizzle in the dressing, Give it a good toss and finish with freshly grated parm (you can leave out the parm if you want to skip the dairy). SO GOOD.
tahini chicken caesar pasta salad
serves 6 | prep time: 30 min | cook time: 15 min
INGREDIENTS
For the Crispy Chicken
1⁄2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot starch (can sub cornstarch)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
garlic powder
1 1⁄4 cups gluten-free panko
1 large egg
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved or pounded into 1/2-inch thick slices
avocado oil, for cooking (or other neutral oil)
For the Tahini Caesar Dressing
1⁄4 cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper, additional to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
For the Pasta Salad
10 ounces gluten-free rotini
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (1 medium head)
1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
🥬get the full instructions here
📱watch me make it here
If you’re looking for your next girl dinner inspo, make this one and share it! I always love seeing your pics in our chat.
Recipe Notes
Chicken Breast: When the goal is a crispy chicken, chicken breast is always the best way to go. Slice or pound the chicken to no thicker than 1/2 inch to ensure they will cook quickly in the oil without burning the outside. For a vegetarian option, dredge some cubed tofu and fry it (be sure to chill the tofu prior to frying).
Gluten-free panko: Panko is the best breadcrumb you can use, it’s the key to that crunchy-crispy outside. Panko has a larger crumb compared to regular breadcrumbs (which a much finer in texture). Highly recommend this gluten-free panko! You can also use blanched almond flour, be sure to chill after dredging, as it doesn’t stick quite as well and will yield a less crispy but still yummy result.
Tapioca starch: Typically used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and dressings, tapioca starch is the perfect gluten-free swap for your dredging station. It sticks better than gluten-free flour when frying and helps give a really nice crunch and can be subbed with arrowroot starch. If you prefer cornstarch, it’s a 1:1 swap.
Gluten-free rotini: Rotini works well in this recipe thanks to the spiral shape. It holds the dressing well and isn’t slippery like penne or bowtie pasta. Omit the pasta if you want just the salad. Cook your pasta al dente for best results, it will continue to absorb moisture from the dressing and other components.
Tahini: If you don’t love tahini, feel free to swap for mayo and Worcestershire sauce or go for a pre-made dressing. Greek yogurt could also be subbed.
Make it meal prep: I’m convinced you can make anything meal prep friendly, including this pasta salad! To get it done, prepare the components: crispy chicken, dressing, salad, and pasta. Refrigerate each in a separate sealed container and assemble in a single meal prep container when you’re heading out the door and dress the salad just before eating. If prepping at home, assemble the salad with the dressing and enjoy!
what I’m prepping
Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats — Featured in the August Meal Prep Plan!!
New Breakfast Biscuits — I can’t wait for you to get the recipe for these new biscuits!! Highly requested flavor combo 😉 Explore all of the existing flavors in the meantime.
what I’m loving
Waffle Blanket — Lightweight but so cozy!! I just bought this for our bedroom and was looking for something 100% cotton, which was hard to find. Also shoutout to Brooklinen shipping, this came so quick! I got the full/queen size, loving it.
Sunglasses — I’ve been wearing these sunglasses for over 5 years now and always get asked about them! I got them with my prescription and wear them daily, and honestly can’t beat that price for prescription sunglasses. Packing for a trip I’m headed on soon..
what I’m recommending
No-Chop Sheet Pan Meals — Nothing better than a delicious meal that requires zero chopping! This one is my current obsession and I know so many of you love it too. From last week’s vacation house meal plan!
Cherry Tomatoes — I swear there’s nothing better than in-season tomatoes. Use ‘em in a pasta sauce or simple salad, if I see them at the farmer’s market this time of year I’m ALWAYS getting them.
I hope you all have a lovely week, and be sure to stay tuned over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to see what I have for y’all this upcoming week!
Jenn, just moved into my Boston apartment with my GF boyfriend and we made this and it was AMAZING! Literally so excited to eat it for lunch tomorrow!
Ok well adding this to the list this week! I’m always looking for interesting ways to spice up summer salads!