Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is an ideal choice for busy weeknights when you crave something simple yet satisfying. Combining tender pasta with the rich flavors of Caesar dressing, this dish features succulent pieces of rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken, allowing you to whip it up in no time. Tossed with crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons, and Parmesan cheese.

If you are looking for more main dish salads, you must try this Mediterranean Tuna Salad, Dorito Taco Salad, or Strawberry Cobb Salad.

Before You Get Started

A few small things make a big difference with this salad. Run through these before you start:

COOL THE PASTA: Warm pasta thins out the dressing and wilts the veggies. Drain, rinse under cold water until the noodles feel cool to the touch, before adding to the salad.

SALT THE PASTA WATER: Cold pasta needs to be seasoned from the inside, or it’ll taste flat once it’s tossed with the dressing. Aim for water that tastes like the sea.

CHICKEN: Use rotisserie chicken to make things ultra easy, or make my shredded chicken recipe, or try my homemade rotisserie chicken.

How To Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

STEP 1: Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, then rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cool.

***Rinsing matters here. It stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch so the pasta doesn’t stick together. The pasta should feel cool to the touch before moving on.

STEP 2: Mix the Dressing

In a large bowl, mix together the mayo, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, and parmesan cheese. If you like a super smooth dressing, use an immersion blender to mix.

***I like to use a microplane and grate the garlic. It’s fast and distributes the garlic evenly throughout the dressing.

***Anchovy paste: You can leave this out, but it WILL most definitely change how the salad tastes.

***Give the dressing a quick taste before adding it to the salad. This is the easiest time to adjust the salt, brighten it with more lime, or add a touch more honey. If you like a little heat, stir in a pinch of cayenne.

STEP 3: Toss the Salad

Add the remaining ingredients to the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Storage

MAKE-AHEAD: You can make the dressing in advance and chop all the veggies in advance. Store everything separately in the refrigerator until ready to use.

LEFOTVERS: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. Take note that if you add croutons they will become soft, and the lettuce will become less crisp the longer it sits.

Substitutions/Additions

ADDITIONS: Feel free to add more vegetables, avocado, chickpeas, or use kale instead of romaine.

GLUTEN-FREE: You can also use gluten-free pasta and croutons to make this a gluten-free dish!

ANCHOVY PASTE: I know this may sound off-putting, and I was right there with you once! Then I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try, and now I will never turn back!! It is what gives it the classic Caesar dressing taste.

CHICKEN: Swap out the protein to cooked salmon or shrimp, or leave it out.

More Cold Salads You Will Love

• Pasta Salad with Pepperoni
• Panzanella Salad with Mozzarella
• Easy Greek Salad
• Tomato Cucumber and Avocado Salad
• Broccoli Grape Salad with Bacon

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