Start with the schnitzel since it takes the most time. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Add the chicken fillets and coat them well. If you have time, let them sit in the egg mixture for 2 hours or even overnight in the fridge – this is the trick that makes the chicken incredibly tender and juicy, not just crispy on the outside. It’s worth the wait if you can plan ahead.

Take each fillet out of the egg mixture and press it firmly into the breadcrumbs on both sides until fully coated. Set them aside on a tray and finish the whole batch before you start frying.

Heat a generous pour of grape seed oil or canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the schnitzels in batches – don’t crowd the pan – for about 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through. Set on a paper towel to drain, then let them cool slightly before slicing into strips. Air fryer option – spray each breaded fillet with oil spray and air fry at 400F for about 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway. They come out a little drier than pan-fried but still really good and definitely the healthier choice.

If you’re making the dressing from scratch – add the garlic, lemon juice, salt, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and anchovies all into a blender and blend until completely smooth. The anchovies disappear into the dressing and you just get that deep savory flavor without any chunks. Takes about 2 minutes and tastes so much better than store-bought.

If you’re making the croutons from scratch – cut white bread into cubes, drizzle with garlic-infused olive oil, spread on a baking sheet, and bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes until golden and crunchy. Let them cool completely before adding to the cups.

While the schnitzel cools, chop the romaine and halve the cherry tomatoes. Keep everything separate at this point so nothing wilts or gets soggy before you’re ready to serve.

Build the cups – add a handful of chopped romaine to each cup first, then a few cherry tomatoes, then lay 2-3 schnitzel strips on top, and finish with croutons and parmesan. You can prep all of this ahead of time with no problem. The one thing you want to do right before serving is drizzle the caesar dressing – that’s what keeps the lettuce crisp and the croutons crunchy. If you want a fun and practical way to serve the dressing, fill plastic pipettes with the dressing and place one in each cup – guests squeeze it themselves, it looks adorable, and it solves the soggy lettuce problem completely so you can confidently make the cups ahead of time!