Sspoonandsizzle Kitchen PrintMade for the kitchen
20-Minute Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
A creamy, crunchy chicken Caesar pasta salad made with tender pasta, cooked chicken, crisp romaine, Parmesan, Caesar dressing, and croutons. Ready in about 20 minutes for a quick lunch or dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings4
Course: Main Course, Salad Cuisine: American Calories: 650 Difficulty: BeginnerDiet: Non-Vegetarian
Ingredients
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
8 oz short pasta, such as rotini, penne, bow ties, or small shells
2 cups cooked chicken, sliced or chopped
4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
¾ cup Caesar dressing, divided
½ cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
1 cup croutons
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- Large cooking pot
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Large spoon or salad tongs
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions for 8–10 minutes, or until al dente.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cool running water for 30–60 seconds. Let it drain for about 1 minute.
- Chop the romaine lettuce into 1–2 inch bite-size pieces and dry it well if recently washed.
- Cut the cooked chicken into thin strips or roughly 1-inch chunks.
- Add the cooled pasta and chicken to a large mixing bowl. Pour in ½ cup Caesar dressing and toss until evenly coated.
- Add the chopped romaine and ½ cup Parmesan. Fold gently until evenly combined.
- Add 1 cup croutons and give the salad one or two light folds.
- Taste the salad and add some or all of the remaining ¼ cup Caesar dressing if needed. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Divide into 4 servings and serve while the romaine and croutons are still crisp.
Chef’s Notes
- * Rotisserie chicken works well and saves prep time.
- * Cool the pasta before adding the romaine so the lettuce stays crisp.
- * Start with ½ cup Caesar dressing and add more only if needed.
- * Add the croutons shortly before serving to keep them crunchy.
- * For meal prep, keep the romaine, croutons, and extra dressing separate until serving.
- * Fully assembled leftovers are best eaten soon because the lettuce and croutons soften over time.
- * Calories are an estimate and can vary depending on the pasta, chicken, dressing, Parmesan, and croutons used.