Pen & Pantry: Crispy Chicken-Crusted Caesar Salad Pizzas

The first day of school, 2026.

Ahhh, yes. You’ve planned, you’ve prepped, you have meals prepared and organized in your refrigerator, labeled and dated because you work full-time — and why not make life easier?

You’re a week ahead, always. So no sweat — when the kids come home after their first day of school — overstimulated, hungry and ready to rattle off a good 50-minute recap of Day 1 — you’re patiently ready to serve up dinner. 

Unless, that is, you’re me. 

Welcome to Type-B Mom problems. You mean well. You cook well. But strategic meal-planning (or planning in general) isn’t exactly what you’re known for. You like a challenge. You love an adventure. And weirdly, you thrive under pressure. 

Long story short: I was intrigued by a recipe I saw online that boasted both healthy and delicious and, well, grabbing all the ingredients and giving it a go after an eight-hour workday — on a Monday, no less! — was a really risky move. 

But guess what, Type-Aers? I pulled it off. And you will too. Of course, you’ll be much more prepared and likely feel much less pressure from your hungry onlookers than I did.

Here’s all you need for my version: 

Ingredients

For the chicken crust:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 tsp of minced garlic
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
• Cooking spray

For the dressing:

• 3 tablespoons thick plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 3 anchovy fillets, finely diced (optional – but don’t skip em! They make the dressing!)
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the base:

• 2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions

1. Prep the pan and oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a large sheet pan or pizza pan with cooking spray.

2. Blend the crust. Combine the raw chicken, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning in a food processor or mix in a bowl, like I did, with a large spoon. Process or mix until the mixture reaches a smooth, ground consistency. Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan or Asiago cheese until evenly mixed.

3. Shape and bake. Spread the chicken mixture directly onto the prepared pan. Work the meat into several thin, smaller individual crusts—the thinner the layer, the crispier the final product. Bake for 13-18 minutes, until the edges turn deep golden brown and firm up. Let the crust cool slightly out of the oven.

4. Mix the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, avocado oil mayo, minced garlic, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and anchovies. Season with salt and black pepper. If the mixture is too thick to coat lettuce easily, loosen it with a splash of water or extra lemon juice.

5. Assemble. Toss the chopped Romaine lettuce with the dressing until fully coated. Pile the salad over the warm chicken crust, scatter extra Parmesan over the top, slice into wedges, and serve right away. Add tomatoes, avocado, green peppers, etc., to taste. 

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.