I turn to this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad when I’m in need of a satiating, quality lunch that only takes 30 minutes to make. A homemade Caesar dressing combines with tender cubes of chicken, crisp romaine lettuce and al-dente rotini pasta to create an addictively creamy and crisp meal that has no business tasting as good as it does. My fellow Caesar salad and pasta salad lovers, this one is for you!
Reasons You’ll Love This
Easy Recipe – You can have this simple chicken pasta salad recipe ready in under 30 minutes!
Fresh and Homemade – The homemade Caesar dressing, and fresh toppings are the best part!
Customizable – You don’t have to follow the rules, add any extra toppings or swap proteins and cheeses if you prefer.
Kid Friendly – I don’t know about you but my kids will eat anything with pasta in it. It’s a great way for them to get veggies and protein in!
Crowd Pleaser – It’s simple, makes a large serving, and genuinely impresses a crowd. Perfect for a potluck, or a picnic!
I love Caesar salad, and I love pasta salad. It took me way too long to combine the two, but once I did it was like “why haven’t I done this before?” It’s a delicious way to bulk up a salad and make it more filling, while still enjoying the classic flavor and bite of a traditional Caesar salad.
Ingredient Info
This is a discussion about the ingredients. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Mayonnaise – Instead of egg yolks and oil, this will be the base of the dressing. (which is basically all mayo is anyway) Use low-fat if you’d like, or use a homemade mayonnaise recipe.
- Anchovies – This is what gives a Caesar dressing that classic brine-y, salty flavor. I don’t reccomend it, but you can leave this out if you’d like.
- Parmesan Cheese – I think it’s really important to use freshly grated parmesan cheese for this one.
- Rotini Pasta – I love using Rotini for any pasta salad, but you can use Farfalle or macaroni!
- Lettuce – Romaine is the classic choice, but you can use green leaf or iceberg instead.
- Chicken – You can either cook up your own chicken breast, or do what I do and grab a rotisserie chicken.
- Croutons – Grab a bag of these or toast your own using cubes of french brad and olive oil.
Step by Step Instructions
This is a discussion about the recipe. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside in the fridge.
- Boil pasta. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Transfer to a bowl.
- Chop lettuce and add it to the bowl. Add the cubed chicken and dressing. Toss to combine.
- Add in croutons, any extra parmesan and lightly toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Christi’s Kitchen Tips
Be Extra! Extra Toppings that is. This pasta salad, while flavorful, is minimal in the toppings department. I recommend trying a few extra ingredients like cherry tomatoes, chopped bacon, sliced red onion, olives, peppers, or really anything that sounds good to you.
Storage – Store the leftover chicken cesar pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Personally, I don’t enjoy the texture of dressed lettuce sitting in the fridge, so if I were making this with the intention of having leftovers, I would store the dressing, pasta, chicken and lettuce all separately then toss a serving when I’m ready to eat.
Equipment
For this recipe, you’ll just need a few mixing bowls, a whisk and something to toss the pasta salad with.
FAQs
You’ll need a Caeser dressing, chicken, pasta and lettuce. The rest of the toppings can be up to you!
If you don’t have parmesan you can use pecorino romano instead.
Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this refreshing, flavorful Caesar pasta salad, I have a few more equally delicious, and equally nutritious recipes I think you’re going to love. Check them out!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese fresh, finely grated
- 2 filets anchovies minced (1 teaspoon of anchovy paste optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 2 hearts romaine lettuce
- shredded rotisserie chicken OR chopped chicken breast
- croutons
- parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Add the minced garlic, mayonnaise, parmesan, anchovies, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard to a large bowl and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside in the fridge.
- Salt the water and boil your pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Chop lettuce and add it to the bowl with the pasta. Add the chicken and pour the dressing over top. Toss to combine.
- Add in croutons and any extra parmesan and lightly toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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