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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with penne or rotini, diced grilled chicken, chopped romaine, and Parmesan tossed in creamy Caesar dressing. Chilled for an hour for a firmer, sliceable texture and finished with crunchy croutons right before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne or rotini pasta
  • 1 lb Penne or rotini pasta Cook according to package directions.
Grilled chicken breast
  • 2 cup Grilled chicken breast, diced Use diced grilled chicken breast.
Romaine lettuce
  • 4 cup Romaine lettuce, chopped
Caesar dressing
  • 1 cup Caesar dressing
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Grated Parmesan for sprinkling.
Croutons
  • 1 cup Croutons Top just before serving.
Cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
  • 1 Lemon wedges for serving Serve on the side.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain. Rinse under cold water until cool to the touch so the pasta doesn’t keep cooking.
Build the salad
  1. Add the cooled pasta, diced grilled chicken, chopped romaine, and halved cherry tomatoes to a large bowl. Toss lightly so the romaine and tomatoes are evenly distributed.
  2. Pour in the Caesar dressing and toss until everything is coated evenly. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to bring up any dry pasta.
  3. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss again just until the Parmesan is dispersed.
Chill and serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Keep it chilled at refrigerator temperature until ready to serve.
  2. Top the salad with croutons just before serving so they stay crunchy. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over each portion.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta in cold water right after draining so it won’t clump and will hold up during chilling. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days, but keep croutons separate (or add fresh) to maintain crunch; freeze is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use a lighter Caesar dressing and reduce Parmesan to 1/3 cup while keeping the rest the same.