Easy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

Chicken Caesar pasta salad comes together quickly for an easy lunch idea or as a makeahead meal for outdoor gatherings and parties. You can make this entirely scratch, using some simple recipes or as a semi-homemade creation. The choice is yours and the results are delicious!

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Do you like chicken Caesar salad?

Do you like pasta salad?

Why not make both in one unholy – but not surprisingly – delcious combination?

More carbs is almost always the right answer, so make this chicken Caesar pasta salad and enjoy the creamy goodness.

It’s a delicious lunch or dinner anytime and a hit for any party or barbecue.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Here’s what you need to make chicken Caesar pasta salad:

• Chicken – You can use raw chicken breasts and follow our instructions for grilling it, use our grilled Italian chicken recipe, or use rotisserie chicken. You can also use buffalo chicken or cajun chicken for some added spice and heat. If you plan to grill your own chicken, you’ll want olive oil, Italian seasonings, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
• Small to Medium Sized Cooked Pasta – You can use bow ties, macaronis, or your favorite small pasta for to make chicken Caesar pasta salad. Just cook them to al dente, rinse, and let them cool down before using.
• Caesar Dressing – You can make your own following our Caesar dressing recipe or use your favorite brand.
• Croutons – You can make homemade croutons or use your favorite brand.
• Parmesand Cheese – You can add other cheeses, but this give some extra flavor to the pasta salad.
• Romaine Hearts – You want to use small, bite-sized chunks of the hearts for the pasta salad. Avoid the leafy green sections and go for the sturdier pieces closer to the core and heart so they hold up better.

You do not need any fancy equipment for making this, but you will probably need or want the following:

• Tongs
• Mixing Bowl
• Handheld Juicer
• Grill Pan

How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

1. Prep your ingredients (as needed).

Prepare your pasta according to the package instructions for firm or al dente.

When it is done cooking, immediatley drain and rinse with cool water and allow it cool completely.

Note: If you are using rotisserie chicken you can skip ahead.

While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the grilled chicken by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together.

Coat your chicken in the seasoning blend (you can let it rest for better flavor, the longer, the more intense) and cook it over medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

For the lettuce, remove some of the leafier green bits and cut the white core into smaller chunks.

You can make the chicken, croutons, and dressing all from scratch following these recipes:

• Caesar Dressing
• Croutons
• Italian Grilled Chicken

Of course, you can use leftover chicken breasts and store bought croutons and Caesar dressing if you like for this recipe.

2. Assemble your chicken Caesar pasta salad.

To make the chicken Caesar pasta salad, place the drained, cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl.

Add the chicken, croutons, lettuce pieces, and parmesan cheese to the pasta.

Next, pour on the Caesar dressing.

Use tongs or a spoon to fully mix the pasta salad together, coating the pasta and chicken.

Serve the pasta salad as a side or a full meal with your favorite bread and more cheese sprinkled on top.

Serving

Chicken Caesar salad works as either a main dish or a side dish.

You can bring it along to BBQs, cookouts, or other gatherings.

It also makes a great midnight snack. Not that we know from experience or anything…

Storing

You can easily make chicken Caesar pasta salad ahead of time and bring it along to a gathering or as an easy lunch for work or school.

We do recommend if you plan to make this ahead for a party, add the lettuce and croutons right before serving so they don’t get soggy.

The croutons tend to get soft and the lettuce a bit wilty the longer it sits.

The pasta salad will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge when tightly covered though the croutons will soften and the lettuce will wilt the longer you keep it.

Please do not freeze the chicken Caesar pasta salad – it won’t hold up well in the freezer.

Tips and Tricks

• This is an adaptable recipe. Make it using only homemade ingredients following our or other recipes, make it with a mix of homemade and store-bought ingredients, or make it fully from store-bought items.
• Similarly, we give you the portions to make a creamy Caesar pasta salad. You can add less dressing, more chicken, extra cheese, or whatever variation you like to make it work better for you. You can also use buffalo chicken or other spicy varieties to add more heat and flavor.
• Make sure to drain and rinse the pasta immediately when the noodles are done. You want to make sure you stop the cooking process.

Other Pasta Salad Recipe

Looking for other salad recipes? Here are some of our favorites:

• Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
• Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto
• Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
• Easy Refreshing Greek Orzo Salad

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