I’m totally obsessed with this Chicken Caesar pasta salad! I love how it combines all the classic elements of a Caesar salad with hearty pasta to make it a complete meal.
The combo of tender chicken, crunchy Romaine, juicy tomatoes, and crisp croutons tossed with pasta and Caesar dressing is heavenly.
The best part? You can whip it up in under 30 minutes using a store-bought dressing or my easy homemade version.
Once you try it, it’ll be in your regular rotation!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Classic Flavor: Combining the classic Caesar salad flavors with tender pasta creates an irresistible dish.
Quick and Easy: It’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute gatherings.
Meal Prep Friendly: The ingredients can be prepped in advance, so you can have a delicious meal when you’re ready.
Customizable: Easily adapt the recipe by swapping proteins, adding extra veggies, or using your favorite dressing for a personalized touch.
Ingredients
- Rotini Pasta: Spiral-shaped pasta holds onto the creamy dressing and captures ingredients in every bite.
- Grilled Chicken Breast: Juicy, tender bites of protein make this pasta salad satisfying and delicious.
- Romaine Lettuce: It adds fresh flavor and a crunchy texture.
- Cherry Tomatoes: These bright pops of sweetness burst in your mouth.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: It has nutty, salty, umami-packed flavor in every shred.
- Croutons: Garlicky, toasted cubes of bread add extra crunch.
- Caesar Dressing: Feel free to use homemade or store-bought.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This salad couldn’t be easier to throw together!
1. Cook the pasta. Cook the rotini pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Set aside.
2. Make the dressing. If making the homemade Caesar dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Combine the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and croutons.
4. Add the dressing. Pour the Caesar dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing if desired.
5. Season the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 hours before serving. Toss again right before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
These tips will make your pasta salad truly shine.
- Pick the right pasta. Use short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or fusilli that have nooks and crannies to hold onto the creamy dressing.
- Choose your chicken. For convenience, use shredded rotisserie chicken. For more flavor, grill or pan-sear chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Dress it up. Use your favorite high-quality store-bought Caesar dressing to save time. For the best flavor, make a homemade Caesar dressing with fresh ingredients.
- Cheese choice matters. Opt for shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese instead of grated for better texture and flavor.
- Toss in fun mix-ins. Customize your salad with crispy bacon bits, avocado chunks, sliced red onions, or chopped hard-boiled eggs.
How to Store
It’s best to keep the components separate to store chicken Caesar pasta salad.
Refrigerate the cooked pasta, chicken, croutons, and dressing individually in air-tight containers for 3-4 days. Assemble the salad before serving to prevent the lettuce from wilting and the croutons from getting soggy.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
10
servings10
minutes10
minutes258
kcalThis Chicken Caesar pasta salad is a fun mashup of two favorites! It’s a fantastic dish to bring to any potluck or cookout.
Ingredients
8 oz rotini pasta
2 cups diced grilled chicken breast
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup croutons
1/2 cup Caesar dressing (homemade or store-bought)
- Dressing (optional):
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Set aside.
- If making the homemade Caesar dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and croutons.
- Pour the Caesar dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing if desired.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese if desired.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 hours before serving. Toss again right before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook the pasta a little past al dente so it stays soft when cooled.
- Dress the pasta while still slightly warm so it absorbs the dressing better.
- Use a good quality, creamy Caesar dressing for best flavor. Homemade is ideal but a store-bought dressing works too.
- Add the lettuce right before serving so it stays crisp.
