This is a plant-based version of a classic chicken caesar salad that everyone will love and no one will believe is vegan, gluten free, packed with protein, and super healthy!
Ingredients for Daring Plant-based Chicken Tenders
1package of Original Daring Plant Chicken
1 ½tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
½teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoonpaprika
salt and pepper
Ingredients for Crispy Chickpeas
115 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1teaspoonextra virgin olive oil
½teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoonpaprika
salt and pepper
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Wedges
2sweet potatoes, sliced into ¾ inch thick wedges
2tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoon cumin
¼teaspoonchili powder
1teaspoondried oregano
salt and pepper
Other Vegan Caesar Salad Ingredients
8cupchopped romaine
store-bought or homemade vegan caesar dressing
1cupsliced cherry tomatoes
store-bought or homemade vegan parmesan cheese
Homemade Cashew Vegan Caesar Dressing
1cupraw cashews
½cupwater
1tablespoonnutritional yeast
1tablespoondijon mustard
1tablespooncapers
1tablespoonlow sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
2tablespoonlemon juice
1teaspoongarlic powder
salt to taste
Instructions
Preparing Daring Plant-based Chicken Tenders
Bring a skillet with olive oil to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken tenders and season. I've also used Trader Joe's Green Goddess seasoning and it's delicious!
Fry the plant-based chicken tenders until golden brown on each side and remove from heat. Set aside.
Air Fryer or Oven-Roasted Crispy Chickpeas
Heat your air fryer or oven to 400. Toss the rinsed and drained chickpeas in olive oil, season with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Or, use Trader Joe's Green Goddess seasoning.
If using an air fryer, add the chickpeas directly into the air fryer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are crisp and golden. If cooking in the oven, spread the chickpeas onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and bake for 15-20 minutes (flipping once halfway through cooking). Remove from heat and set aside.
Air Fryer or Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
Heat your air fryer to 400 or your oven to 425. Slice the sweet potatoes into ¾ inch thick wedges, toss them in olive oil, and sprinkle with the seasonings. Toss them until evenly coated with oil and spices and place them directly into the air fryer or onto a foil or parchment lined baking sheet (if oven-roasting).
Cook in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy and browned. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, remove and flip them over. Return them to the oven for another 15-20 minutes until they reach your desired crispness.
Vegan Chicken Caesar Salad Assembly
Prepare 4 bowls with chopped romaine (2 cups of romaine each) and ¼ cup of sliced cherry tomatoes. Top each bowl with ¼ of the plant-based chicken tenders, ¼ of the sweet potato wedges, ¼ of the chickpeas, and then dress with home-made or store-bought vegan caesar dressing and vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
Vegan Cashew Caesar Dressing
Bring a small saucepan with water to a boil. Add the cashews and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the cashews are tender. Strain them and then allow them to cool.
Once the cashews have cooled, add them into a food processor or blender, add the water, lemon juice, coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, capers, dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Blend until creamy and smooth. This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.