How long it takes: 20 minutes Equipment you’ll need: pot, large bowl Servings: 4 as main dish Like ranch pasta salad and summer pasta salad, this recipe is easy to scale up for a party but it’s also great for a light weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch. The cooked chicken and pasta can be made in advance, then the salad can be assembled right before serving so it’s fresh and every element is at its best!
More About This Pasta Salad
Creamy without overdoing it. Caesar dressing is creamy, but it’s not the kind of thick, gloppy mayo dressing we often see on more traditional pasta salads. The lighter dressing, combined with the fresh veggies, makes this chicken Caesar pasta salad feel less heavy. Quick and easy. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and also for when you’re feeding a crowd and need a bunch of recipes that come together with minimal effort. Perfect for potlucks. Need to bring a dish to a potluck or picnic? This chicken Caesar pasta salad is guaranteed to be a hit!
Ingredient Notes
Rotini pasta: You can use any of your favorite pastas but I like the shape of rotini because it does a good job holding onto the dressing. Romaine lettuce: Caesar salads are typically made with romaine lettuce. It’s crisp and has a little more body than other greens. Cooked chicken breast: The easiest option is to buy rotisserie chicken or frozen cooked chicken. If you happen to have leftover chicken, feel free to use that. If you’d like to cook your own chicken for the salad, poached chicken works well or air fryer chicken breast. Both options are easy but should be done ahead of time so that the chicken has time to chill. Cherry tomatoes: Diced large tomatoes release more liquid into a salad so I prefer using cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. If you happen to have some beautiful vine-ripened tomatoes, simply squeeze some of the extra juice and seeds out before adding the diced tomatoes to the salad. Shredded Parmesan cheese: Swap in shaved Parmesan for bigger Parm flavor. Caesar dressing: You can use homemade Caesar dressing or pick up a bottle at the store. There are several brands to choose from. Kosher salt and ground black pepper: You may not need any extra seasoning for the salad. It depends on the dressing you choose. Taste the salad before serving it to determine if it needs additional salt or pepper. Croutons: Since croutons are an integral part of Caesar salads, I like to include them on the salad but they are optional. I recommend these homemade croutons, air fryer croutons, or try my Caesar croutons for double the Caesar flavor.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta. Salt the water well (this makes the pasta taste better!) and follow the package directions for al dente cooking. Rinse under cold water and drain. Why rinse? The cold water rinse stops the pasta from cooking more and getting too well done. Rinsing also removes the excess starch which can make the pasta sticky, and cools down the pasta so it’s ready to combine with the other salad ingredients. Toss the salad. Make sure the lettuce is torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces. Combine the cooked pasta, lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, and cheese in a large bowl with ample room for tossing and mixing. Add the dressing. Pour the dressing evenly over the salad, then toss to coat. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. With my homemade dressing, you may want to add S&P since I usually lean toward using less salt in my dressings. With a store-bought dressing, you’re less likely to need more salt. Chill. I find the salad tastes best if it’s chilled for 30 minutes or so before serving. If you don’t have that much time, feel free to serve it right away. Serve. Add more dressing before serving, if desired. The pasta has a tendency to absorb the dressing as it sits. Top with the croutons if you’re using them and serve the salad.
Recipe Tips
Customize the dressing. If you use a store-bought Caesar dressing, taste it first and consider adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of Worcestershire sauce to make it taste homemade. Jazz it up! Meal prep like a pro. If you’re making your own chicken, make it in advance and be sure it’s well-chilled before you start the salad. Make the croutons and add them right before serving. This prevents them from becoming soggy. If you prefer ultra-crisp lettuce, you can store that separately too. Experiment with add-ins. Make this salad your own! Add chopped hard-boiled eggs, white beans, or chickpeas for extra protein (or as a vegetarian option for the chicken), use sun-dried tomatoes or olives for big flavor, cucumber for another crisp element, etc.
Serving Suggestions
Bread: Serve your salad with Texas toast garlic bread or keep it simple with no knead whole wheat bread. Soup: I don’t know about you, but I love a soup-and-salad dinner situation. Try this chicken Caesar pasta salad with healthy creamy tomato soup or roasted cauliflower soup. Picnics or cookouts: For a picnic or cookout, this salad is great alongside grilled vegetable salad, tabbouleh salad, cucumber salad, and calico beans.
Make Ahead Idea
Make the salad with kale instead of lettuce. If you need to dress the salad several hours in advance (as opposed to right before serving), use chopped kale leaves which actually improve in texture when refrigerated in the dressing, as opposed to romaine which will eventually wilt and get soggy.
Storing & Serving Leftover Salad
Refrigerate: Store any leftover chicken Caesar pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the croutons (if you use them) should be stored separately at room temperature. Serving: When you’re ready to enjoy, give the salad a good toss to redistribute the dressing. If the pasta has absorbed too much dressing and seems dry, add a little extra to refresh it. Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #83. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly. Quick-Start Guide!
