THE SPLIT PLATE / RECIPE

Caesar Crunch Pizza Night

Pizza isn't the enemy — the salad is the macro lever. 27g protein for 199 cal, anchored by Soules Kitchen pre-cooked fajita chicken + crushed Quest Hot & Spicy chips for the crunch. Adults eat 1/3 of a wood-fired Bettergoods Margherita + the full salad; kids each get a personal Red Baron Deep Dish + a small salad. 549 cal / 40g protein on the adult plate, almost zero active cook time.

YIELD4 servings
TOTAL TIME20 min
COOK METHODSee method
EST. / SERVING~550 cal | ~41g protein
KEY TO SUCCESS: PREHEAT TO 400°F. Handles both pizzas (Red Baron is rated 375°F but bakes fine at 400°F — just check at 18 min). Start oven now.

Ingredients

SALAD BASE (shared, 4 servings)

  • 1 pack (8 oz) Tanimura & Antle Artisan Sweet Gem Lettuce, chopped
  • 12 oz Soules Kitchen Fully Cooked Fajita Chicken, diced
  • 1/2 bag Quest Hot & Spicy Tortilla Style Protein Chips, crushed coarse

ADULT PIZZA

  • 1/3 Bettergoods Italian Wood-Fired Margherita Pizza (2 of 6 slices)

Option 2

  • 1 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Creamy Caesar
  • (NO Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning — visible flecks deter)
  • (NO Chipotle Crema)
  • 1 personal Red Baron Deep Dish Pepperoni OR Four Cheese (whole, undivided)

ADULT SALAD FINISH (per portion)

  • 2-3 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Creamy Caesar Parmigiano dressing
  • Generous sprinkle Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning
  • OPTIONAL: 1-2 tsp Smoky Chipotle Crema drizzle (cookbook)

Option 1

  • 1 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Creamy Caesar
  • (NO Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning — visible flecks deter)
  • (NO Chipotle Crema)
  • 1 personal Red Baron Deep Dish Pepperoni OR Four Cheese (whole, undivided)

Allergens: dairy, gluten, soy.

AT PLATING. The salad is built once in a big bowl (kid-safe — no chilies, no Cheesoning yet). Adult portions get the full Caesar Crunch finish (Bolthouse + Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning + optional Chipotle Crema). Kid portions get a small simpler version. Pizzas are completely different from the start — kids never see the Bettergoods, adults never touch the Red Barons.

Method

Shared base

  1. 1.PREHEAT OVEN to 400°F.
  2. 2.MISE EN PLACE. Sweet Gem chopped into bite pieces, Soules chicken diced 1/2-inch cubes, Quest chips crushed coarse (zip-bag + rolling pin works).
  3. 3.START RED BARONS. 2 personal Red Baron Deep Dish pizzas on a sheet pan. 18-min timer.
  4. 4.BUILD SALAD IN BIG BOWL. Lettuce + diced chicken in a large bowl. Toss gently. DO NOT dress yet. Keep chips aside.
  5. 5.ADD BETTERGOODS at the 6-8 min mark. Onto a separate sheet pan or pizza stone in the same oven. 14-16 min bake — should finish ~same time as the Red Barons.
  6. 6.PIZZAS DONE. Pull Bettergoods (golden, basil dark green not black) + Red Barons (cheese melted, crust deep brown). Let rest 2 min.

Adult — 1/3 Margherita + Full Caesar Crunch

  1. 7.SLICE BETTERGOODS into 6 wedges. Each adult gets 2 slices = 1/3 of the pie.
  2. 8.DRESS ADULT SALAD. Half the undressed salad into an adult bowl. Drizzle 2-3 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar. Toss. Sprinkle Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning generously. Top with crushed Quest chips (don't pre-toss). Optional: 1-2 tsp Smoky Chipotle Crema drizzle.
  3. 9.PLATE. Wide bowl with the dressed Caesar Crunch + 2 slices Bettergoods.

Kid — Personal Red Baron + Small Caesar · Option 1

  1. 7.SCOOP KID SALAD. Half-cup undressed salad into a small bowl. Toss with 1 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar. Optional: 1 tbsp crushed Quest chips on top.
  2. 8.PLATE KID. Personal Red Baron whole + small Caesar bowl/ramekin alongside. Pink Munchkin fork for the salad.

Kid — Personal Red Baron + Small Caesar · Option 2

  1. 7.Skip the lettuce for this kid. 2 oz diced Soules Kitchen Chicken + 1 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar in a dip well alongside the personal Red Baron.

SPLIT PLATE SERVING

Adult — 1/3 Margherita + Full Caesar Crunch: Serve the adult portion as described above.

Kid — Personal Red Baron + Small Caesar: Serve the kid portion as described above.

Keys to success

  • MISE EN PLACE WHILE OVEN HEATS: Sweet Gem chopped, 12 oz Soules chicken diced 1/2-inch, 1/2 bag Quest chips crushed coarse (zip-bag + rolling pin works). All in a big bowl, UNDRESSED.
  • START RED BARONS FIRST. 2 personal Red Baron Deep Dish pizzas on a sheet pan. Set timer for 18 min.

If something fails

Salad got soggy by dinner: You pre-dressed the bowl. Build undressed; dress per portion right before plating. Or save Quest chips for the very end.

Kid wouldn't touch the salad: Skip the chips on their portion (some kids reject visible crushed texture). Try 1 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar tossed on plain lettuce + diced chicken — no Cheesoning, no chipotle.

Bettergoods Margherita burned: You shared the 400°F with the Red Baron too long. Pull Bettergoods at 13 min, not 16.

Macros came in higher than 549 cal: Adult ate 1/2 the Bettergoods instead of 1/3. Slice the pizza into 6 BEFORE eating to avoid grazing.

Adults wanted more pizza, kids' Red Barons looked better: Buy 3 Red Barons (1 per kid + 1 for the adult who wants kid-pizza vibes). Don't try to slice a personal pizza for two adults — it's not made to share.

Storage and reheating

Store: Pizza leftovers refrigerate 2 days. Salad base (undressed) holds 3 days; dressed salad best same-day (Quest chips go soggy by morning).

Reheat: Pizza: 350°F oven 5 min OR cast iron 2 min covered — don't microwave (kills the crust). Salad: rebuild dressed-per-portion, don't reheat. Add fresh crushed chips at serving.

Lasts: Day 1 ideal. Pizza Day 2 with dry-heat reheat is fine. Salad Day 1 only (dressed).

Estimated nutrition

~550 cal | ~41g protein.

The ~550-calorie / 41g-protein estimate on this original recipe describes the Bettergoods pizza and Soules chicken version below. The approved 2026 film uses a Yough pizza with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella plus a chicken Caesar with homemade dressing. That filmed adult plate is separately estimated at about 475 calories and 45g protein; toppings and dressing were not weighed.

thesplitplate.com/recipes/caesar-crunch-pizza-night

Caesar Crunch Pizza Night
Filmed adult pizza and chicken Caesar plate
Filmed adult pizza and chicken Caesar plate
Yough pizza with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella before baking
Yough pizza with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella before baking
See the filmed version ↓
Split Cook Method™Core SignaturesThe Pizza Night That Doesn't Punish Anyone

Caesar Crunch Pizza Night

Pizza isn't the enemy — the salad is the macro lever. 27g protein for 199 cal, anchored by Soules Kitchen pre-cooked fajita chicken + crushed Quest Hot & Spicy chips for the crunch. Adults eat 1/3 of a wood-fired Bettergoods Margherita + the full salad; kids each get a personal Red Baron Deep Dish + a small salad. 549 cal / 40g protein on the adult plate, almost zero active cook time.

Make this when

It's a pizza-craving night and you don't want it to derail dinner. Adults get 1/3 of a Bettergoods Margherita + a 27g-protein crunchy Caesar salad anchored by pre-cooked fajita chicken. Kids get their own personal Red Baron Deep Dish + a small salad portion. Different pizzas, same table, no fighting over slices.

Total time
20 min
Yield
4 servings
Protein
~41g
Calories
~550
Cost / serving
$5.00
Allergens and safety

Contains: dairy, gluten, soy

Packaged ingredients change formulas — check the label on what's actually in your kitchen.

Two versions on this page

The recipe and nutrition above describe the original version. The video and filmed section below document a separate cook with its own ingredients and nutrition notes.

Adjust servings

Ingredients

Adults
Kids

SALAD BASE (shared, 4 servings)

ADULT SALAD FINISH (per portion)

ADULT PIZZA

KID SALAD (per portion)

KID PIZZA

Method

Split point

AT PLATING. The salad is built once in a big bowl (kid-safe — no chilies, no Cheesoning yet). Adult portions get the full Caesar Crunch finish (Bolthouse + Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning + optional Chipotle Crema). Kid portions get a small simpler version. Pizzas are completely different from the start — kids never see the Bettergoods, adults never touch the Red Barons.

2 adults: 1/3 Bettergoods Margherita each + full Caesar Crunch Salad. 2 kids: 1 personal Red Baron Deep Dish each + small Caesar portion.

Shared base

Cook once — this part works for everyone.

  1. 1

    PREHEAT OVEN to 400°F.

  2. 2
    MISE EN PLACE

    Sweet Gem chopped into bite pieces, Soules chicken diced 1/2-inch cubes, Quest chips crushed coarse (zip-bag + rolling pin works).

  3. 3
    START RED BARONS

    2 personal Red Baron Deep Dish pizzas on a sheet pan. 18-min timer.

  4. 4
    BUILD SALAD IN BIG BOWL

    Lettuce + diced chicken in a large bowl. Toss gently. DO NOT dress yet. Keep chips aside.

  5. 5

    ADD BETTERGOODS at the 6-8 min mark. Onto a separate sheet pan or pizza stone in the same oven. 14-16 min bake — should finish ~same time as the Red Barons.

  6. 6
    PIZZAS DONE

    Pull Bettergoods (golden, basil dark green not black) + Red Barons (cheese melted, crust deep brown). Let rest 2 min.

Adult — 1/3 Margherita + Full Caesar Crunch

  1. 7

    SLICE BETTERGOODS into 6 wedges. Each adult gets 2 slices = 1/3 of the pie.

  2. 8
    DRESS ADULT SALAD

    Half the undressed salad into an adult bowl. Drizzle 2-3 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar. Toss. Sprinkle Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning generously. Top with crushed Quest chips (don't pre-toss). Optional: 1-2 tsp Smoky Chipotle Crema drizzle.

  3. 9
    PLATE

    Wide bowl with the dressed Caesar Crunch + 2 slices Bettergoods.

Kid — Personal Red Baron + Small Caesar

  1. 7
    SCOOP KID SALAD

    Half-cup undressed salad into a small bowl. Toss with 1 tbsp Bolthouse Caesar. Optional: 1 tbsp crushed Quest chips on top.

  2. 8
    PLATE KID

    Personal Red Baron whole + small Caesar bowl/ramekin alongside. Pink Munchkin fork for the salad.

Filmed 2026: Yough pizza and chicken Caesar

The approved video shows a different pizza night from the original Bettergoods and Red Baron recipe above. Tushar topped a Yough pizza with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella for the adult plate, then paired it with romaine, chicken, homemade Caesar dressing, and Quest-chip crunch. The kids had regular pizza with the same style of salad. Their portions were not measured.

What the filmed batch used

  • Yough pizza, with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella added; adult plate used about one-third of the pizza
  • Romaine and about 3 oz cooked chicken for the filmed adult Caesar estimate
  • Homemade Caesar dressing and crushed Quest protein chips; amounts were not weighed
  • Regular pizza and a similar salad for the kids; no measured kid-plate portions

How the filmed version came together

  1. 1Top the Yough pizza with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella. Bake according to the pizza package until hot and browned.
    Filmed Yough pizza topped with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella before baking
    Filmed Yough pizza topped with turkey pepperoni and mozzarella before baking
  2. 2Toss romaine and cooked chicken together in a large bowl. The filmed adult salad estimate uses about 3 oz chicken.
    Romaine being tossed in the filmed Caesar bowl
    Romaine being tossed in the filmed Caesar bowl
  3. 3Add homemade Caesar dressing and toss. Its filmed amount was not weighed, so use enough to coat the salad to your taste.
    Homemade Caesar dressing being added to romaine and cooked chicken
    Homemade Caesar dressing being added to romaine and cooked chicken
  4. 4Crush Quest protein chips over the salad just before eating to keep the crunch. Serve it beside the adult pizza portion.
    Finished filmed adult plate with two pizza slices and chicken Caesar salad
    Finished filmed adult plate with two pizza slices and chicken Caesar salad
  5. 5Serve the kids their regular pizza with the same style of salad. Their filmed pizza and salad portions were not weighed.
Filmed-batch nutrition

Filmed adult plate estimate: about 445–495 calories and 43–48g protein, rounded in the video to about 475 calories and 45g protein. The salad estimate is about 195 calories and 28g protein with 3 oz chicken; the usual one-third Yough pizza portion contributes about 250–300 calories and 15–20g protein. Added toppings and dressing were not weighed. These are not measured totals, and the original recipe's 550-calorie figure does not apply to the filmed plate.

Adult plate | Kid plate

2 adults: 1/3 Bettergoods Margherita each + full Caesar Crunch Salad. 2 kids: 1 personal Red Baron Deep Dish each + small Caesar portion.

Adult plate

Adult — 1/3 Margherita + Full Caesar Crunch

41g
Protein
549
Calories

What makes it different

  • 2-3 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Creamy Caesar Parmigiano dressing
  • Generous sprinkle Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning
  • OPTIONAL: 1-2 tsp Smoky Chipotle Crema drizzle (cookbook)
  • 1/3 Bettergoods Italian Wood-Fired Margherita Pizza (2 of 6 slices)
Kid plate

Kid — Personal Red Baron + Small Caesar

22g
Protein
600
Calories

What makes it different

  • 1 tbsp Bolthouse Farms Creamy Caesar
  • (NO Dan-O's Jalapeño Cheesoning — visible flecks deter)
  • (NO Chipotle Crema)
  • 1 personal Red Baron Deep Dish Pepperoni OR Four Cheese (whole, undivided)

Three keys to success

  1. 1PREHEAT TO 400°F. Handles both pizzas (Red Baron is rated 375°F but bakes fine at 400°F — just check at 18 min). Start oven now.
  2. 2MISE EN PLACE WHILE OVEN HEATS: Sweet Gem chopped, 12 oz Soules chicken diced 1/2-inch, 1/2 bag Quest chips crushed coarse (zip-bag + rolling pin works). All in a big bowl, UNDRESSED.
  3. 3START RED BARONS FIRST. 2 personal Red Baron Deep Dish pizzas on a sheet pan. Set timer for 18 min.

Go deeper

Storage and nutrition

Storage: Pizza leftovers refrigerate 2 days. Salad base (undressed) holds 3 days; dressed salad best same-day (Quest chips go soggy by morning).

Reheat: Pizza: 350°F oven 5 min OR cast iron 2 min covered — don't microwave (kills the crust). Salad: rebuild dressed-per-portion, don't reheat. Add fresh crushed chips at serving.

Lasts: Day 1 ideal. Pizza Day 2 with dry-heat reheat is fine. Salad Day 1 only (dressed).

Watch the full cook

Brands I use

Soules Kitchen
Soules Kitchen
Fully Cooked Fajita Chicken Breast Strips (16 oz refrigerated)
Pre-cooked, fully seasoned, fire-grilled. Already in the tier framework as T2 reliable protein. 18g protein per 3 oz. Chop and fold in cold OR microwave 30 sec — 90-second cheat for the entire dinner.
Bettergoods
Bettergoods
Italian Wood-Fired Margherita Pizza (14.6 oz, Walmart)
Imported from Italy, lava-stone wood-fired oven. Tomato + mozzarella + basil, no fillers. ~$7/pie. Bakes 14-16 min at 400°F. 4.6-star Walmart rating — the rare frozen pizza adults order again on purpose.
Red Baron
Red Baron
Deep Dish Singles Pepperoni (or Four Cheese, 11.2 oz / 2-pack)
Personal-size pizzas eliminate the slice-fairness fight. Each kid owns their pizza. Bake 22-24 min at 375°F (works at 400°F too).
Tanimura & Antle
Tanimura & Antle
Artisan Sweet Gem Lettuce (4-head pack)
Crisp without snapping; holds dressing without wilting fast. Cross-recipe with id 38 Pork Lettuce Wraps.
Bolthouse Farms
Bolthouse Farms
Creamy Caesar Parmigiano (yogurt-based, ~50 cal per 2 tbsp)
Yogurt base = 1/3 the calories of restaurant Caesar (50 cal vs 150+ per 2 tbsp). Still creamy + parmesan-forward. The macro lever that makes Caesar weeknight-eligible.
Quest Nutrition
Quest Nutrition
Tortilla Style Protein Chips — Hot & Spicy (1.1 oz / 19g protein per bag)
Crunch replacement for croutons. Cross-recipe with id 22 Smash Tacos. 4g net carbs per bag, baked not fried.
Dan-O's
Dan-O's
Jalapeño Cheesoning Seasoning (2.6 oz Parmesan + jalapeño + Italian herbs)
The brand differentiator. Sprinkled on dressed salad it becomes 'Caesar Crunch,' not just 'Caesar with chips.' ~5 cal per serving. Cross-Dan-O's-family with Original / Outlaw / SPG / Cheesoning.

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