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This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is loaded with crisp lettuce, tender pasta, salty parmesan, crunchy croutons, and perfectly seasoned juicy chicken; all smothered in a creamy Caesar dressing. Serve this cold pasta salad as a side dish for any potluck, BBQ, or gathering. It also makes for the perfect weeknight dinner – especially during the summertime using the grill.
If you’re a fan of classic Caesar salad then be sure and try my Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps and these 3 Ingredient Crispy Chicken Caesar Wraps.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
This chicken Caesar pasta salad is one of my favorite salads EVER! It’s so simple to make with already prepared ingredients like creamy dressing, chopped romaine lettuce, and parmesan cheese. Caesar salad fans are going to love this recipe!
Tender chicken gets seasoned to perfection with a blend of dried seasonings and then it’s cooked inside a skillet pan until crispy golden brown on the outside. Mix that with crisp lettuce pieces, salty parmesan, crunchy croutons, and tender spiral pasta noodles, and you have a pretty amazing pasta salad ready to be devoured. You can never go wrong with the classic flavors of Caesar salad.
Cold pasta salads make for great side dishes at gatherings, potlucks, summertime picnics, and BBQ’s. It also makes a great main dish as it’s filling and hearty enough with the chicken and pasta in it. I love making it during the summer time and using the grill to cook the chicken – it’s a great quick meal for summertime!
Salad Ingredients Needed
- Penne Pasta or Rotini Pasta
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Italian Seasoning
- Olive Oil
- Caesar Salad Dressing : Use a good-quality, really good tasting store-bought caesar dressing for this pasta salad recipe. I prefer using the refrigerated cold salad dressings that you find in the produce area. They are fresher and taste much better. You can also make Homemade Caesar Dressing instead of store-bought.
- Crisp Romaine Lettuce : To cut down on prep I always buy one bag of chopped ready-to-use romaine lettuce (maybe 2 if they’re smaller). You can buy romaine hearts and chop it up into small pieces as well.
- Croutons & Additional Parmesan Cheese : These are the garnishes for the chicken caesar pasta salad. I highly recommend using the crunchy croutons – they add so much crunch and texture to the salad. I like to chop the croutons up into small pieces, almost large crumb-like pieces. Use garlic croutons or some caesar croutons.
How To Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad With Creamy Caesar Dressing (Printable Full Recipe Card)
Boil Pasta : Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Cook to al dente or softer depending on preference. When done cooking, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Cook Chicken : In a small bowl mix together the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides of the chicken breast pieces and pat/press the seasoning into the chicken.
In a skillet pan, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, cook the chicken breasts for 6-8 minuter per side or until golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken is at 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the skillet pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into thin strips or chopping it into chunks.
Assemble The Pasta Salad : In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, cooked chicken breast, and chopped romaine lettuce. Pour the Caesar salad dressing over everything and toss until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing as needed. Stir in the parmesan cheese and toss again to combine.
Chill : Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together and the for the salad to chill before serving.
Before serving, garnish the salad with chopped croutons, parmesan cheese, and additional caesar salad dressing if needed.
Can I Make Any Changes To This Recipe?
This pasta salad is so versatile and there are lots of additions or substitutions that you can make to switch it up. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Caesar Salad Dressing : There are lots of variations of Caesar salad dressing at the grocery store – try using a bacon caesar salad dressing, a yogurt based salad dressing for a healthier option, or a fat-free caesar salad dressing.
- Add Cherry Tomatoes : Adding some halved cherry tomatoes is always a good idea inside a Caesar salad. It adds a pop of color and some fresh veggies to the salad. Use fresh tomatoes from the garden for a really fresh flavor, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Bacon : Cook up some bacon until crispy, chop it up, and add it along with the other ingredients. She crispy bacon always goes well with a Caesar salad.
- Fresh Squeeze of Lemon Juice : Lemon juice is always a good combo with Caesar salad dressing. Add a fresh burst of lemon juice into the salad dressing before pouring it over the pasta salad. I would recommend using only about half a lemon’s worth of juice if wanting to add that bright lemon citrus flavor to the salad.
How To Store Leftovers
Place any leftover salad inside an airtight container, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. The lettuce does get softer as it sits in the fridge so I do recommend serving it right away and eating leftovers within 48 hours for the best crunch and crisper lettuce.
Tasty Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe FAQ’s
Can I Use Grilled Chicken Instead?
Yes! I actually loving throwing the seasoned chicken breast onto the grill when I make this recipe during the summer. The grill adds some nice char marks and everything always taste better on the grill. You could also use a grill pan instead of a skillet pan to cook the chicken as well.
Can I Use A Rotisserie Chicken?
Yes you can. To cut down on prep time purchase a seasoned rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. You will need about 2-3 cups of shredded or chopped chicken for this recipe.
Should I Cook The Pasta To Al Dente Pasta?
Cook the pasta according to your preference. My family prefers a softer pasta so I always cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes past the al dente time listed on the package. If you prefer al dente pasta then don’t cook it as long.
More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- Ranch Pasta Salad
- Coleslaw Pasta Salad
- Pesto Caesar Pasta Salad
- Easy Greek Pasta Salad
- Poppyseed Chicken Pasta Salad
- Tricolor Pasta Salad
- Mexican Pasta Salad
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta OR rotini pasta (about 2 cups dry pasta)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil)
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing (or more to taste)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil Pasta : Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Cook to al dente or softer depending on preference. When done cooking, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.8 ounces penne pasta OR rotini pasta
- Cook Chicken : In a small bowl mix together the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides of the chicken breast pieces and pat/press the seasoning into the chicken.1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a skillet pan, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, cook the chicken breasts for 6-8 minuter per side or until golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken is at 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the skillet pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into thin strips or chopping it into chunks.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Assemble The Pasta Salad : In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, cooked chicken breast, and chopped romaine lettuce. Pour the Caesar salad dressing over everything and toss until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing as needed. Stir in the parmesan cheese and toss again to combine.4 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Chill : Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together and the for the salad to chill before serving.* Mix in more Caesar salad dressing if needed after refrigerating.
Notes
Can I Use Grilled Chicken Instead?
Yes! I actually loving throwing the seasoned chicken breast onto the grill when I make this recipe during the summer. The grill adds some nice char marks and everything always taste better on the grill. You could also use a grill pan instead of a skillet pan to cook the chicken as well.Can I Use A Rotisserie Chicken?
Yes you can. To cut down on prep time purchase a seasoned rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. You will need about 2-3 cups of shredded or chopped chicken for this recipe.Nutrition
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