Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a favorite pasta salad of mine! It's easy to make, a crowd-pleaser, and perfect for a summer cookout. It consists of tender rotini, chopped romaine, and juicy chicken tossed in a creamy, garlicky Caesar dressing.
Looking for more recipes for your next cookout? Try my Pesto Pasta Salad or Macaroni Salad next!
About This Recipe
Full of fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, this chicken Caesar pasta salad is such a satisfying recipe with a variety of wonderful textures and flavors. Whether you're making this for a summer cookout or a weeknight meal, this salad goes with basically everything! You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make it, and it's so easy to put together.
The homemade Caesar dressing is the best part of this recipe. Store-bought is never as good as a homemade dressing! It's creamy, tangy, and has layers of complexity from anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese. One thing with this recipe is that romaine lettuce tends to wilt the longer the salad sits, so I recommend mixing the salad just before serving. If you want to make it ahead of time, keep the sauce and salad components separate until you're ready to eat!
Key Ingredients
Mayonnaise: Use a good-quality mayonnaise for the dressing. I've been using olive oil mayonnaise lately and loving the fact that it is slightly healthier.
Parmesan: Adds a nutty, rich, and tangy taste to the dressing. I recommend using freshly grated Parmesan as it tastes better than pre-grated. Also, you can try "flaked parmesan" to sprinkle on at the end, as it adds a beautiful aesthetic.
Lemon juice: I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice has preservatives that make the juice taste less bright and refreshing.
Dijon mustard: I like adding dijon mustard to my salad dressing to give it even more acidity.
Worcestershire sauce: Adds savory and tangy flavor!
Anchovy paste: Adds salty and savory depth to the dressing. I buy mine in a small tube and store it in my freezer to add flavor whenever I need it.
Rotini pasta: Rotini is perfect because the shape grabs onto all the creamy dressing.
Romaine lettuce: Of course! Iceberg lettuce works well, too.
Chicken: For the chicken, I just boiled chicken breasts, then chopped them up. Rotisserie chicken works just as well.
Croutons: Optional, but these add a nice crunch. If you're making this salad ahead of time, add in the croutons last as they absorb moisture over time.
Instructions
STEP 1: Cook the rotini according to the package directions until it's a little past al dente. Drain and let it cool to room temperature.
STEP 2: To make the dressing, add the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, garlic, and anchovy paste to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
STEP 3: Add the cooked pasta, romaine, and chicken to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over everything, and toss until evenly coated. Top with croutons and Parmesan flakes just before serving!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
For the pasta salad
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 2 hearts Romaine lettuce
- 2 cups chopped chicken breasts
- 1 cup croutons (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. The pasta should be completely soft. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Combine the drained pasta, romaine, and chicken in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine. Just before serving, add the croutons and more parmesan.
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