Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Looking for the perfect summer meal that’s both refreshing and satisfying? Look no further than this chicken caesar pasta salad! Whether you’re planning a summer potluck, family picnic, or just an easy make-ahead dinner at home, you’re going to love this recipe.
If there’s anything better than a Caesar salad, it’s chicken Caesar pasta salad! It’s made up of classic Caesar salad components like romaine lettuce, homemade croutons, Parmesan cheese, and creamy homemade dressing, with grilled chicken and pasta tossed in.
I’ve based this pasta salad off of my popular 5-star homemade Caesar salad recipe, so you know it’s gonna be great! It’s fresh, crisp, and light, but also satisfying and delicious. It’s one of my favorites for warmer months.
This pasta salad is perfect for backyard potlucks and barbecues, or for making earlier in the day before the summer heat sets in so you can enjoy a no-cook dinner later.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients you’ll need
- How to make chicken Caesar pasta salad
- Tip: Why you shouldn’t rinse cooked pasta
- Make-ahead and storage instructions
- Optional additional ingredients and variations
- More summer salads
- Get the recipe
Ingredients you’ll need
- Short pasta of your preference— I like rotini and bowtie, but any kind will work.
- Romaine lettuce— a must for classic Caesar salad, but if that doesn’t matter to you, feel free to use any lettuce.
- Cooked chicken— grilled chicken is perfect for the summer, but store-bought rotisserie chicken, or other leftover chicken you have is great.
- White bread— you can use sourdough, French baguette, ciabatta, etc. or even white sandwich bread.
- Olive oil and salt— for flavoring the croutons. Olive oil also helps keep the pasta from sticking together as it cools.
- Parmesan cheese—freshly grated or shredded will yield the best flavor, but store-bought is easier.
- Mayonnaise— I use this instead of egg yolks + oil as called for in an authentic Caesar dressing, since that’s essentially what mayo is. It’s a shortcut!
- Anchovy paste— again, you get authentic flavor without extra work! Find it in most grocery stores along with the canned meat.
- Lemon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper— these additional ingredients help flavor the homemade dressing for that classic Caesar taste.
How to make chicken Caesar pasta salad
- Make dressing. Whisk everything together until smooth and creamy, then store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Make croutons. Tear or slice bread into 1-inch pieces, then toss with olive oil and salt. Toast in a 375°F oven until brown, but be careful not to let them burn.
- Cook pasta. Add pasta to a small pot filled with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cook until al dente (time will vary based on noodle you use, look at package instructions). Drain, but don’t rinse, then spread the cooked pasta out onto a sheet pan to cool. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.
- Prep other ingredients. While the pasta cooks and cools, chop chicken, chop and wash lettuce, and shred cheese if needed.
- Assemble the salad. First, toss the pasta with half of the dressing until well coated. Add lettuce, croutons, chicken and the cheese and toss until combined. Add more dressing as needed. (If desired, set some of the croutons, chicken and cheese aside to add as a garnish to the top of the salad after everything is tossed. It looks nice for serving!)
- Serve and enjoy! This salad is best served right after fully assembled, but keep reading for make-ahead instructions.
Tip: Why you shouldn’t rinse cooked pasta
Rinsing cooked pasta washes away all of the starches that help bind the pasta to its sauce, and also somewhat diminishes flavor and texture. So don’t do it! If you usually rinse pasta as a way to cool it down quickly for pasta salad, try this instead— toss hot cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan. It will be cool and sticky-free in no time.
Make-ahead and storage instructions
Like most pasta salads, this is a great make-ahead meal or side dish. However, since it includes lettuce that can wilt over time and croutons that we want to stay crunchy, we have to make a few adjustments.
Store individual items separately more long-term. The croutons and dressing will keep for at least 1 week. Store croutons in an airtight container at room temperature, and store the dressing in the fridge. Washed and cut lettuce will also keep for 3-7 days in the fridge, depending on how it’s stored (this is my favorite lettuce keeper).
Store the (mostly) assembled salad short-term. Toss half of the dressing with cooked pasta, chicken, and the cheese. Store in the fridge for up to 12 hours, then add croutons, lettuce and more dressing just before serving.
Optional additional ingredients and variations
Pasta salads are famous for being extremely adaptable, and this recipe is no exception! Cherry tomatoes, grilled vegetables, sliced red onions, and olives are examples of additional ingredients you can add to this chicken Caesar pasta salad. You can also choose to leave out the chicken for a vegetarian option.
More summer salads
Get the recipe
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Caesar dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Homemade croutons:
- 3 cups torn or sliced bread pieces (about ½ small loaf)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil , as needed
- Heavy pinch of salt
To assemble the salad:
- 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta , or other short pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , as needed
- 2 medium cooked chicken breasts , chopped
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (about 1 small head)
- ½ cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Whisk together all ingredients. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Can be made at least 1 week in advance.
Toast the croutons:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Drizzle bread cubes with enough olive oil so they are all very lightly coated. Toss and add salt.
- Spread out onto a sheet pan and bake until edges turn brown, 7-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn, stir and toss them as needed.
- Croutons can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Assemble the salad:
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil to keep from sticking. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- While the pasta cooks and cools, make sure you have everything else needed for the salad (wash the lettuce, shred cheese, etc.)
- In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with half of the dressing until well coated. Add lettuce, croutons, chicken and the cheese and toss until combined. Add more dressing as needed. (If desired, set some of the croutons, chicken and cheese aside to add as a garnish to the top of the salad after everything is tossed. It looks nice for serving!)
- Serve immediately (see Notes section for make-ahead options).
I’m all about pasta salads during this time of the year. This one looks amazing, light and flavorful at the same time! Plus, I didn’t know I shouldn’t rinse cooked pasta to cool it down quickly! That’s what I’ve always done when it comes to pasta salads! Can’t wait to try out your tip instead and see how it turns out.
Just my sort of salad! Thanks for sharing!
I made a similar pasta salad for a summer dinner party I had last year and it was a huge hit. Nothing better than adding pasta to a green salad… Especially a Caesar one 🙂
This was so good! I simmered two chicken breast quarters with celery, carrot, and fresh herbs. I also put feta cheese on the table to add if desired. Also added a little garlic.
This sounds like a perfect summer meal!