Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Love Caesar salad? This cold pasta salad combines an easy Caesar salad and pasta for the ultimate combo. Make this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad as a side dish at a BBQ or for an easy lunch or dinner recipe!

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It’s summer and that means pasta salads! They are the perfect side dish or main dish. That’s why I love this easy Caesar pasta salad that combines two of my favorite recipes: chicken Caesar salad and pasta salad!

It’s loaded with rotini pasta, cubed grilled chicken, crisp romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons and Caesar salad dressing. Toss it together and it’s an easy lunch or dinner. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prepping and so much more.

Why You’ll Love this recipe

• It’s like having your main course and salad all in one bowl.
• Just a few ingredients, some simple steps, and voila!
• This salad is a total crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients Needed

• Rotini pasta – Any short pasta can be substituted.
• Romaine lettuce – Washed, dried and torn into small pieces.
• Chicken breast – Grilled and chopped into bite-sized pieces. This is a great way to use leftover grilled chicken. Save time by buying rotisserie chicken and using that instead of grilled chicken. Other options for protein would be thin strips of grilled skirt steak, roasted salmon or grilled shrimp.
• Parmesan cheese – Shredded.
• Caesar salad dressing – We take a shortcut and buy a bottle, but you can make your favorite homemade dressing, too.
• Croutons – Add the perfect crunch!

How To Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, chicken, and pasta. Pour dressing over salad and mix until combined. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and croutons. Serve immediately.

How to store leftovers

If you’ve already added the dressing, it’s best to eat the salad within a day. If you’re planning to have leftovers, keep the dressing separate and add it just before eating. That way, the salad can keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a whole meal in one bowl making it a weeknight life saver when you want something quick and easy for supper. The best part is everyone is going to love it!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

5 from 6 votes

Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

Love Caesar salads? This cold pasta salad combines an easy Caesar salad and pasta for the ultimate combo. Make this Caesar Pasta Salad as a side dish at a BBQ or for an easy lunch or dinner recipe!

Prep:15 minutes mins

Cook:10 minutes mins

Total:25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
• ▢ 6 cups torn romaine lettuce
• ▢ 1 ½ cups cubed grilled chicken breast
• ▢ ½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• ▢ ¾ cups Caesar salad dressing
• ▢ ½ cup croutons

Instructions

• Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.
• In a large serving bowl combine romaine, chicken, and pasta. Pour dressing over salad and mix until combined. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and croutons. Serve immediately.
• If you are not serving it immediately toss salad ingredients together except dressing. When you are ready to serve the salad toss salad with dressing and garnish with Parmesan cheese and croutons to avoid the salad from turning soggy.

Tips

• Save time by buying rotisserie chicken and using that instead of grilled chicken.
• Skip the chicken it to make it more of a side dish or switch up the protein. Other options for protein would be thin strips of grilled skirt steak, roasted salmon or grilled shrimp.
• Add some cooked chopped bacon and diced tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes to make this a BLT Caesar Pasta salad.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1, Calories: 754kcal (38%), Carbohydrates: 78g (26%), Protein: 36g (72%), Fat: 31g (48%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Cholesterol: 76mg (25%), Sodium: 838mg (36%), Potassium: 702mg (20%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 5g (6%), Vitamin A: 4485IU (90%), Vitamin C: 11.6mg (14%), Calcium: 276mg (28%), Iron: 2.8mg (16%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

what to serve with chicken caesar pasta salad

This salad is a meal in itself, but if you want something extra, it pairs well with a slice of crusty bread or a bowl of soup.

Make our Rosemary Bread which is a Macaroni Grill Copycat to serve with it or pair it with a bowl of soup like Sausage Tortellini Soup or Broccoli Cheese Soup.

More Summer Salads!

• Quick and easy Italian Pasta Salad recipe is the perfect pasta salad. It’s our go-to for potlucks, picnics and gatherings. Loaded with tender pasta, salami, fresh vegetables, cheese and tossed in an Italian Dressing.
• We love pasta salads and this Crab Pasta Salad is always a hit at parties, backyard BBQ’s and holidays. It’s super simple and is loaded with imitation crab meat, peas, broccoli, green pepper and onion.
• This Cashew Chicken Rotini Salad is loaded with cashews, grapes, chicken, pasta and dried cranberries. It’s covered in a ranch dressing and is packed with flavor. 
• Broccoli Salad is a classic summer salad that’s quick and easy! This salad is a mixture of fresh broccoli, red onion, bacon, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and cheese. Then topped with a creamy, tangy homemade dressing.