chickenpearpecan
Crispy Chicken Cutlet Salad with Manchego Dressing
A crisp, golden chicken cutlet served with a fresh pear and goat cheese salad, candied pecans, pickled onions and a rich Manchego dressing.
From YouTube · Jul 9, 2026
A crisp, golden chicken cutlet served with a fresh pear and goat cheese salad, candied pecans, pickled onions and a rich Manchego dressing.
45 min
Prep time
25 min
Cook time
1 hr 10 min
Total time
4 main-course salads, with extra dressing
Yield
Ingredients
35 ingredients- 2 large chicken breasts, approximately 680 g total, butterflied into 4 cutlets
- 480 ml buttermilk, or enough to cover the chicken
- 120 g plain flour
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 150 g panko breadcrumbs
- Leaves from 10 thyme sprigs
- 120 ml neutral cooking oil, for shallow-frying, with approximately 60 ml estimated to be absorbed
- 1 large shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 80 ml Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pasteurised large egg yolk
- 240 ml avocado oil
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 142 g Manchego cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, for the dressing
- 100 g pecan halves
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt, for the pecans
- 1 medium red onion, approximately 150 g, thinly sliced
- 120 ml red wine vinegar
- 120 ml water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, approximately 25 g
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, for pickling
- 200 g butter lettuce leaves
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 g soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 2 ripe pears, cored and sliced, approximately 350 g prepared weight
Method
19 steps- Place the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar.
- Combine the red wine vinegar, water, 25 g sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until dissolved, pour over the onion and leave it to pickle for at least 30 minutes.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts to make 4 cutlets. Place them between sheets of baking paper and pound them to an even thickness.
- Place the chicken in a non-reactive container and pour over enough buttermilk to cover it. Refrigerate while preparing the remaining components.
- For the dressing, blend the shallot, garlic, Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey and pasteurised egg yolk until smooth.
- With the blender running, slowly stream in the avocado and olive oils until emulsified.
- Add the grated Manchego, salt and black pepper and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
- For the candied pecans, place the pecans, 50 g sugar and a pinch of salt in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Cook while stirring until the sugar melts and coats the pecans. Immediately spread them over baking paper and allow them to cool completely.
- Mix the flour, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and black pepper in a shallow dish.
- Whisk the eggs and soy sauce together in a second shallow dish.
- Combine the panko and thyme leaves in a third shallow dish.
- Remove each cutlet from the buttermilk and let the excess drip away. Coat it in seasoned flour, dip it in the egg mixture and press it firmly into the panko.
- Heat enough neutral oil to cover the base of a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Fry the chicken in batches until golden on both sides and the centre reaches at least 74°C, approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined tray and season lightly with salt.
- Divide the lettuce, tomatoes, sliced pears, goat cheese, drained pickled onion and candied pecans among four plates.
- Drizzle each salad with approximately 30 ml Manchego dressing.
- Slice one chicken cutlet over each salad and serve. Refrigerate the remaining dressing separately.
Recipe notes
Helpful tips
- Pound all four cutlets to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Press the panko firmly onto the chicken before frying.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pan.
- Let fried chicken rest on a rack to preserve its crisp coating.
- The dressing recipe makes more than four salads require; use approximately 30 ml per serving.
- Allow candied pecans to cool completely before breaking them apart.
Equipment
- Meat mallet
- Mixing bowls
- Three shallow dishes
- Large frying pan
- Blender or food processor
- Small frying pan
- Food thermometer
- Wire rack
Storage
Refrigerate cooked chicken for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming. Store the dressing for up to 3 days if made with pasteurised yolk. Keep undressed salad components separate and assemble immediately before serving.
Additional tips
- Contains wheat, milk, egg, soy, mustard and pecans. Use a pasteurised egg yolk because the dressing is not cooked. Chicken must reach at least 74°C internally. Take care around hot frying oil and never leave it unattended.
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