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This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is the best combination of crisp romaine lettuce, tender pasta, juicy chicken, and a tangy homemade dressing. It’s a winner at parties, for meal prep, or to eat for dinner tonight!
about this chicken caesar pasta salad
This is the ultimate mash-up in my book. I have been making this chicken caesar pasta salad for meal prep for over a year now and I don’t know why it took me so long to add this to the site!
I stumbled onto this combo when I was trying to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken and a craving for pasta salad. Usually I use a store bought dressing, but ever since I perfected a homemade caesar dressing recipe I cannot seem to stop making this pasta recipe. It’s creamy, tangy, crunchy, and just all-around delicious.
This chicken caesar salad isn’t just for lunches, though! It’s perfect for pretty much everything. Weeknight dinners? Check. Potlucks where you want to impress but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? Double check. Meal prep for the week ahead? You bet.
Plus you can easily adapt this recipe as much as you like! Use up a different leftover cooked meat. Add in your favorite vegetables. You really cannot go wrong with it!
ingredients
mayonnaise. Use your favorite mayonnaise, whether it is full-fat or light mayo.
mustard. We like to use Dijon mustard for the smoother flavor.
worcestershire. Worcestershire sauce gives the dressing a little tang!
garlic. Fresh garlic is best, versus using garlic powder. You can use jarred minced garlic or whole garlic cloves since it’s going in the blender.
lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor!
salt and pepper. Kosher sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper are all you need to season the dressing and the salad.
anchovy. Anchovies are key to making caesar dressing taste the BEST. You can skip this ingredient, but the flavor of the dressing isn’t going to be nearly as good.
olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is best to use to make sure this dressing is smooth and emulsified.
cheese. You will need freshly grated parmesan cheese for the homemade salad dressing and the salad itself.
pasta. Use your favorite short pasta! You can use penne, bowtie, rigatoni, or rotini pasta for this recipe. Another option is to use gluten-free pasta.
lettuce. Romaine lettuce gives you the perfect crunch to the pasta salad.
chicken. You can cook the chicken yourself or you can buy a rotisserie chicken! Use chicken breast or chicken thighs, or a combination of both. Just cut it up into bite-sized pieces.
tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes give you just the right pop of fresh flavor in every bite. You can also use grape tomatoes.
green onion. Green onions (aka scallions) give this salad a little extra lift to counter the other flavors.
this recipe’s must-haves
For this recipe, you will need a high-speed blender to make the dressing. We love to use our Vitamix, it’s been going strong for a decade now!
To make the pasta, use a large pot or Dutch oven. You will also need a colander to drain the pasta.
For serving, select your favorite serving dish like a large bowl or platter (make sure it has a rim so pasta doesn’t go rolling off the edges!).
here’s how to make chicken caesar pasta salad
make dressing
In a high-speed blender, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and anchovies. Blend until well-combined and smooth.
Switch the speed to low and pour in the extra virgin olive oil slowly through the opening at the top. Once emulsified, add the parmesan cheese and blend until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set in the refrigerator until ready to use.
cook pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over High heat. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to the instructions on the packaging until al dente.
Drain the pasta and rinse well with cool water to stop the pasta from cooking.
make pasta salad
Add cooked pasta, cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and green onion to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing (use as much as you like!). Toss until everything is well-coated. Serve.
tips and tricks
cook the chicken, or buy it! You can cook the chicken for the salad however you like, whether it is baked, pan seared, air fried, or grilled. If you want to make things easy on yourself, just pick up a rotisserie chicken!
make it ahead of time. You can easily make this salad ahead of time! Just omit the lettuce and let the salad sit in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add in the lettuce just before serving, tossing to coat.
variations
add your favorite protein. Want to shake things up? Use cooked steak or pork instead!
add some heat. Add a big pinch of red pepper flakes to the homemade dressing to make it a little spicy.
use your favorite veggies. You can always add in your favorite vegetables to this salad! Broccoli, avocado, asparagus, peppers, carrots, peas, chickpeas, and more will work in this pasta salad. Customize it based on your favorite flavors, or whatever you have leftover in the refrigerator.
More delicious pasta salads to try out: Summer Lemon Pasta Salad | Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad | Crunchy Thai Pasta Salad
should you rinse pasta in cold water for pasta salad?
Yes, this is the best way to cool it down quickly! Drain the pasta after cooking, then rinse well with cold water. Not only does this cool off the pasta to use in the salad, it also stops the pasta from overcooking so it doesn’t get all mushy.
do I have to make homemade dressing for this recipe?
No, you do not have to make the homemade dressing. If you are short on time, you can easily just use your favorite brand of store-bought caesar salad dressing.
how should I meal prep this pasta salad for the week?
I love to meal prep this salad all week for lunches! You will need large mason jars and a container for the dressing to accomplish this. Here’s my process for meal prep:
- Divide the cooled, cooked pasta between 4 or 5 large mason jars. Do the same with the chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and parmesan cheese. Close the jars and place them in the fridge.
- Add homemade dressing to a jar and place in the refrigerator.
- When ready to eat, select a jar and dump it out onto your serving plate or bowl. Top with desired amount of dressing, toss to coat, and serve.
how long does this chicken caesar pasta salad last in the fridge?
This pasta salad will last for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
Need some inspiration for pasta dishes? Check out my pasta recipes page!
what to serve with chicken caesar pasta salad
You can serve this pasta salad as a main dish or as a side dish for your favorite backyard BBQ gathering. If you want to round out your meal with more potluck-favorites, check out these recipes:
BBQ apple cider ribs are the ultimate meaty and juicy centerpiece to any gathering!
Add some BBQ chicken to the mix with these party friendly grilled chipotle bbq chicken skewers that are savory, spicy, and smoky.
Grilled new york strip steak is easy with our guide to how to make it the right way every single time.
how to store
Store. Store the pasta salad in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. If it is left in the fridge any longer, the lettuce will start to go bad.
more caesar-inspired recipes to try
A chicken caesar sandwich is my version of the classic salad, made even better with the addition of crunchy bread.
If you love tacos, these charred caesar salad avocado chicken tacos are a whole new take on your favorite meal.
Finally, if you make this chicken caesar pasta salad recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.
Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!
Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!
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chicken caesar pasta salad
ingredients
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper more to taste
- 3 anchovy fillets optional
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 12 oz penne pasta or other short pasta like bowtie or rigatoni
- 2 heads romaine lettuce roughly chopped
- 1 cup cooked Chicken chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 medium cucumber chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup green onion thinly sliced
instructions
- To make the dressing, add mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and anchovies to a blender. Blend until smooth. Switch to Low speed and slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil through the opening in the top. Once emulsified, add parmesan and blend on low speed until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the dressing to an airtight container or jar, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta to room temperature quickly.
- Add cooked, cooled pasta to a large serving bowl with lettuce, chicken, parmesan cheese, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and green onion. Drizzle with as much dressing as you like (we usually start with 1 cup and add more to taste). Toss until everything is well-coated. Serve.
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