Description
A bold and flavorful spin on the classic Caesar, this Chicken Caesar Crispy Rice Salad combines crunchy rice, crispy chickpeas, juicy chicken, kale, and a creamy umami-packed Caesar-style dressing. Finished with parmesan, chorizo, and scallions, it’s a hearty, satisfying salad with texture in every bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 cups cooked rice (or 2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for rice)
- 1 teaspoon paprika (for rice)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (for rice)
- 1 (14oz/400g) can of chickpeas, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for chickpeas)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup aioli or mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste (or more Dijon mustard)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (for dressing)
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded
- 5oz/200g kale, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (for salad)
- 2oz/50g chorizo, sliced
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F for roasting chickpeas and heat a skillet over medium-high heat for rice.
- Toss chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, and salt. Roast on a baking sheet for 20–25 minutes until crispy.
- In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add cooked rice, 1 tsp paprika, and a pinch of salt. Press down and cook until crispy and golden, flipping occasionally. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup parmesan during the last 2 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together aioli, Greek yogurt, fish sauce, Dijon, miso paste, lemon juice, 1/2 cup parmesan, and black pepper to make the dressing.
- In a large bowl, massage shredded kale with a little dressing. Add chicken, crispy rice, chickpeas, chorizo, scallions, and remaining 1/3 cup parmesan.
- Pour remaining dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Serve immediately, garnished with more black pepper or parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use cold, day-old rice for best crispy texture.
- Dry chickpeas well before roasting for max crunch.
- Massage kale for a more tender bite.
- Store components separately for meal prep and toss together before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg