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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar pasta salad with grilled chicken, chopped romaine, and croutons tossed in creamy Caesar dressing. Penne or rotini pasta is chilled for a bold, savory main dish salad texture with Parmesan and lemon.
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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: 585
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne or rotini pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
Grilled chicken breast
  • 2 cup grilled chicken breast, diced
Romaine lettuce
  • 4 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
Caesar dressing
  • 1 cup Caesar dressing
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Croutons
  • 1 cup croutons
Cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
  • 1 Lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook penne or rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch.
Build the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced grilled chicken breast, chopped romaine, and halved cherry tomatoes. Toss gently so the romaine is evenly distributed.
Dress and season
  1. Add Caesar dressing and toss until everything is coated. Continue tossing for an even, creamy look.
Add cheese and seasonings
  1. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the pasta salad and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss again just until the cheese is evenly dispersed.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour. Chill until cold and slightly set, with flavors melding together.
Serve
  1. Top with croutons just before serving so they stay crisp. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta well and chill the salad before adding croutons; otherwise the croutons soften. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days (add fresh croutons at serving). Freezing is not recommended due to lettuce texture. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat Caesar dressing and slightly less Parmesan.