Creamy Chicken & Jalapeño Smash

A Caesar salad works because of its dressing, not its leaves. The dressing is the point: creamy, deeply savoury, anchovy-forward in a way that’s more “rich and complex” than “fishy”, with parmesan and garlic and a sharp acid note. Everything else in a Caesar is just a vehicle for getting that dressing into your mouth. This smash takes that logic and runs with it. No romaine, no croutons. Just shredded chicken, a Caesar-style dressing base made with cottage cheese and Greek yoghurt, parmesan, anchovies, garlic, lemon. Then pickled jalapeños because that little hit of vinegared heat is what lifts the whole thing.

The cottage cheese sounds unexpected but it does exactly what ricotta would do in a cooking context: adds creaminess, lightens the texture, and provides a slightly tangy base that takes on the parmesan and anchovy flavour without competing with them. You’d never guess it was there. The Greek yoghurt makes it lighter still and adds a little more tang.

Anchovy in a Caesar is non-negotiable. You don’t taste “fish”. You taste depth. Two fillets finely chopped, or a teaspoon of anchovy paste if you’re working from a tube, and the whole smash tastes like it’s been made by someone who knows what they’re doing.

The jalapeños are the element that makes this version distinctive. They bring acid from the pickling brine and a clean, bright heat that cuts through the richness of the parmesan and cottage cheese base. It doesn’t make it spicy in a way that’s aggressive: it makes it interesting.

Why This Smash Works

Shredding the chicken properly before adding the dressing is important: you want the chicken in fine enough pieces that the dressing coats everything. Finely chopped anchovy rather than leaving it whole means it distributes evenly through the dressing. Parmesan grated finely so it melts into the mixture. The jalapeños go in folded gently at the end so they stay as distinct pieces.

Season with cracked black pepper at the end and taste before adding salt: the anchovies and parmesan usually bring enough.

How to Eat This

On toasted sourdough is the ideal serve, with an extra shaving of parmesan on top. In cos lettuce cups for a proper Caesar nod that’s lighter and a little more fun to eat. In a wrap with shaved parmesan for a lunch on the go. On seeded crackers for a substantial snack. This is also excellent meal prep: the dressing-coated chicken keeps beautifully and the flavour deepens with time. Make a double batch on Sunday.

Creamy Chicken and Jalapeño Smash

Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0 mins

Ingredients

• 300g cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie is ideal)

• 100g cottage cheese

• 50g Greek yoghurt

• 30g parmesan, finely grated

• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• Juice of half a lemon

• 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños, roughly chopped

• 10g fresh basil, torn

• 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered

• Cracked black pepper

• 2 slices sourdough, toasted
  

Method

1. Add the chicken to a bowl and shred with two forks.

2. In a small bowl, mix the cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt, parmesan, anchovies, garlic and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Pour over the chicken.

3. Smash and mix until everything is well coated and creamy.

4. Fold through the pickled jalapeños, cherry tomatoes and most of the basil.

5. Season with cracked black pepper (the anchovies and parmesan add enough salt).

6. Pile onto toasted sourdough. Finish with remaining basil and extra parmesan.

Recipe Notes

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavour improves after a day. Add fresh basil just before serving. This smash keeps better than avocado-based versions, making it one of the best options for meal prep.