This chicken caesar pasta salad combines tender pasta, crisp romaine, grilled chicken and sourdough croutons all tossed in a creamy caesar dressing. It’s perfect for summer cookouts or a simple weeknight dinner.
Lately Tucker has been obsessed with this chicken caesar pasta salad from a local shop here in Richmond, which is what inspired the recipe that I’m sharing today!
This chicken caesar pasta salad isn’t an exact copycat of the version he loves, but it’s just as delicious! I love the combo of tender pasta, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and grilled chicken all tossed in my creamy healthy caesar dressing and topped with crunchy sourdough croutons. It’s seriously so good! I can’t wait for you to try it.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Hearty and satisfying – With the addition of pasta and grilled chicken, this salad is filling enough to be a complete meal on its own.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can prepare the different components to this salad in advance, making it an ideal option for meal prep or faster assembly.
- Customizable – I love this salad as is, but it’s easily customizable — swap out the pasta type, add more veggies, or use your favorite store-bought dressing for convenience.
Ingredients Needed
- pasta – I recommend using penne or rotini pasta for this salad, but feel free to use your favorite short noodle pasta, such as farfalle, or fusilli.
- grilled chicken breasts – feel free to cook your chicken however you prefer, but I love following my recipe for either air fryer chicken cutlets or grilled chicken breasts.
- romaine lettuce – to keep this resembling a classic caesar salad I went with romaine lettuce as the leafy green base of this salad adding a nice crispness and crunch!
- cherry tomatoes – I love the juicy, sweet burst of flavor these add to the salad.
- parmesan cheese – I highly recommend topping this salad with freshly shaved parmesan cheese for a bit more flavor.
- croutons – I used my recipe for sourdough croutons, which I love, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought croutons instead.
- caesar dressing – I used my healthy caesar dressing, which is made with Greek yogurt instead of eggs or mayonnaise, but I also have this avocado caesar dressing, which is just as delicious. That said, feel free to use your favorite store-bought caesar dressing instead. One of my favorites is this Primal Kitchen dairy-free caesar dressing.
Recipe Substitutions
- Tomatoes: If you don’t have tomatoes (or don’t love them), feel free to use other veggies instead. Cucumbers, bell peppers or sliced olives are all great options.
- Romaine lettuce: Feel free to swap the romaine lettuce with another leafy green of choice like kale, spinach or green lettuce. You can also make my kale caesar salad instead and just add chicken and pasta.
- Chicken: Not a fan of chicken? Try using grilled shrimp for a different protein. You could also use grilled tofu or tempeh for a meat-free option.
- Make it gluten-free: You could make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free croutons and pasta. I love Banza pasta for a gluten-free option.
- Make it dairy-free: Make this recipe dairy-free by using a dairy-free store-bought dressing and vegan parmesan or make this vegan parmesan cheese instead.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Step 2: Cook your chicken, then once cooled cut it into chunks.
Step 3: Make your sourdough croutons.
Step 4: Prepare your dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a mason jar or blender.
Step 5: Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Step 6: Pour the prepared dressing over salad, toss to combine, and enjoy!
Brittany’s Tip
Prepare the pasta, croutons, chicken and dressing ahead of time to save time when assembling the salad.
How to Store
Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best texture, keep the croutons separate and add them just before serving to prevent them from becoming soggy.
If you have extra caesar dressing, store it in a separate container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare the components of the salad ahead of time. Store the cooked pasta, grilled chicken, chopped lettuce and dressing separately in the refrigerator. Store the croutons at room temperature in a sealed bag or container. When you’re ready to eat, just assemble the salad just before serving and enjoy!
A short noodle pasta like penne, rotini, farfalle, or fusilli are great choices because their shapes hold the dressing well.
Absolutely! This salad is versatile, so feel free to substitute the grilled chicken with grilled shrimp, rotisserie chicken or even a plant-based protein like tofu or chickpeas.
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