Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote

This tasty chicken caesar pasta salad is a fun twist to a classic chicken caesar salad. It is a more filling option to serve as a main dish and includes a delicious homemade caesar dressing recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Olivia & Annie

Ingredients

For the dressing:

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or anchovy paste)
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons water, to reach desired consistency

For the salad:

8 oz pasta of choice
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
15 oz (~2.5 cups) chopped chicken breast (we like to use Bare chicken nuggets, but you can use any grilled chicken of choice or rotisserie chicken)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Freshly grated parmesan, for topping

Instructions

Start by preparing the creamy caesar dressing. Whisk the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, oil, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 tbsp of water at a time until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Set aside while you make the rest of the salad.
Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook until you have al dente pasta (about 10 minutes or according to package directions). Using a colander, drain the pasta and run it briefly under cold water (this will prevent the pasta from wilting the lettuce).
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken according to your preferred method. We like to use Bare chicken nuggets cooked in the air fryer, but you can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken or prepare boneless skinless chicken breasts according to your preferred method.
Chop the romaine lettuce and place it into a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta to the bowl with the lettuce (make sure it is dried well). Add the chicken as well.
Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to the mixing bowl. Grate fresh parmesan over the top, add any optional toppings, and toss together until well combined.
Dress each individual portion with the salad dressing to prevent the salad from getting soggy if you have leftovers. Enjoy!

Notes

This can be a gluten-free pasta salad with the choice of a gluten-free pasta such as Banza or Jovial pasta and using grilled chicken in place of Bare nuggets. It can be dairy-free with the use of a dairy-free caesar dressing and omission of the parmesan cheese. It can be made vegetarian with the omission of the chicken (can replace with crispy chickpeas).

Nutrition