Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This chicken caesar pasta salad combines tender pasta, crisp romaine, grilled chicken and sourdough croutons all tossed in a creamy caesar dressing. It's perfect for summer cookouts or a simple weeknight dinner.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne or rotini pasta
- 1 lb grilled chicken breasts cooked and chopped (2 cups)
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 pint
- ⅓ cup shaved or shredded parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- Sourdough croutons or store-bought
- Healthy caesar dressing or store-bought
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
- If you haven’t done so already, cook your chicken and set aside. One cool, chop it into chunks.
- While chicken is cooking make sourdough croutons and caesar dressing.
- To make the salad, add pasta, romaine lettuce, chopped chicken, cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese to a large salad bowl.
- Add ½ cup caesar dressing to the bowl and toss everything to combine.
- Add additional dressing as desired. Add croutons right before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken: Not a fan of chicken? Try using grilled shrimp for a different protein. You could also use grilled tofu or tempeh for a meat-free option.
- Make it gluten-free: You could make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free croutons and pasta. I love Banza pasta for a gluten-free option.
- Make it dairy-free: Make this recipe dairy-free by using a dairy-free store-bought dressing and vegan parmesan or make this vegan parmesan cheese instead.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best texture, keep the croutons separate and add them just before serving to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 recipe | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 495mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g