Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This pasta salad has all of the goodness imaginable. Crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, tender pasta, perfectly grilled chicken, and an irresistible homemade caesar dressing. If you are as much of a caesar salad fan as I am, then you are going to absolutely love this chicken caesar pasta salad! Not only is it delicious, it is also super easy to make! If you don’t want to grill your chicken, take the shortcut and use a rotisserie chicken. You could also use my shortcut shredded chicken in the Instant Pot! I highly recommend making the homemade caesar dressing though. If you have never made homemade caesar dressing, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is and just how delicious it can be with a few simple ingredients! Let’s dig in!
Ingredients Needed
For the Pasta Salad:
Pasta: You can use any shape pasta that you prefer. Typically for pasta salad, I like to use short pasta shapes like elbow, ziti, or bowtie. In this chicken caesar pasta salad, I used ziti noodles! Romaine Lettuce: It wouldn’t be a caesar salad without some crunchy romaine lettuce! Chicken: Grilled chicken adds a really great flavor to this pasta salad, but you can also use leftover rotisserie chicken or precooked shredded chicken! Croutons: I make my own homemade croutons but you can definitely use your favorite store-bought croutons! Parmesan Cheese: I recommend adding shaved parmesan for some larger chunks of cheese, but any parmesan cheese will do well here.
For the Dressing:
Dijon Mustard: Dijon adds a bit of a kick and nice tart flavor! Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here to add a depth of flavor to the dressing. White Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar adds just the right amount of acidity to balance out the savory flavors. Worcestershire Sauce: For umami and loads of flavor! Anchovies: For a classic caesar dressing, you need a few anchovy filets from a can of anchovies. You could also add in some anchovy paste. The anchovies lend the classic caesar dressing flavor that is salty and full of flavor. Mayo: The base of this dressing is mayonnaise. Feel free to use low fat mayo if you prefer!
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Make the Dressing: In a small blender or food processor, combine dijon, garlic, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and anchovies.
Blend: Pulse for 30 seconds or until there are no more large chunks and everything is combined.
Mix with Mayo: Add mayonnaise to a medium bowl. Add the anchovy sauce and whisk to combine. Set aside until you are ready to toss with the pasta salad.
Cook the Pasta: Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Assemble: In a large bowl combine romaine lettuce, cooked cubed chicken, cooked pasta, and croutons. Add dressing to taste and toss to combine. Serve with slices of parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!
Tips for Success
Bring it to the next BBQ! This is a wonderful pasta salad recipe to bring along with you to your next BBQ or neighborhood get together. Or, simply make it for an easy weeknight dinner! Add your favorite veggies! You can definitely add even more veggies to this chicken caesar pasta salad. Try adding carrots, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers! Serve with other proteins! You can definitely skip the chicken and serve this pasta salad alongside some grilled steak, salmon or shrimp! Feel free to cook your chicken in any way. You can grill, pan sear, or bake the chicken if you prefer! Or simply shred some rotisserie chicken for ease. Add bacon! Another amazing option would be to toss some crispy bacon bits into this salad.
How to store leftover chicken caesar pasta salad?
You can store any leftover chicken caesar pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, this salad is best served on the day it is assembled, since the lettuce will wilt after it is combined with the dressing for too long!
Can I make it ahead?
You can definitely make this pasta salad ahead of time! I recommend storing the dressing separately from the rest of the ingredients in the fridge. Once you are ready to serve, simply pour the dressing on top and toss to combine!
More Salad Recipes to Try
Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing Panzanella Salad Curry Chicken Salad BLT Pasta Salad Antipasto Pasta Salad
