Tender pasta, chicken, croutons, bacon, and romaine lettuce are all tossed in a quick and creamy Caesar dressing. Serve with lemon wedge for a new family favorite.
What You’ll Need For Caesar Pasta Salad
Lettuce: I use romaine lettuce for this recipe, but you can also use chopped kale. You’ll need a sturdy lettuce that can hold up to the dressing and the pasta so a greens mix is not the best option. Pasta: Choose a medium shaped pasta with curves or holes to grab the dressing. Penne, fusilli, bowtie, and rotini pasta are all great options. Chicken: I like using chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe and adding cajun seasoning for extra flavor. Dressing: This easy dressing is made with ingredients likely already in the fridge. Worcestershire sauce has lots of flavor, if possible, fresh lemon is recommended for the flavors of a traditional Caesar salad dressing. Croutons: You can buy croutons but I like to make my own, they’re so easy! Variations: Bacon, shredded cheddar, sliced kalamata olives, or sundried tomatoes.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This Caesar pasta salad is a full meal deal.
Use rotisserie chicken or any leftover cooked chicken. Replace the homemade dressing with a purchased bottle of Caesar dressing to make it extra quick. Skip the washing and chopping altogether and use a Caesar salad kit from the store. Add extra dressing if needed—a squeeze of fresh lemon makes it taste fresh and homemade! Use real bacon bits in place of bacon. If using bacon bits, I microwave them for a few minutes to make them crisp.
NOPE! If it’s not your jam, skip the anchovy or add some chopped or slightly mashed capers in place. But I do recommend giving it a try! It adds a unique umami to the recipe and lasts a long time. I don’t love anything really ‘fishy,’ so I just add a little. It does add a special flavor to the dressing! Did you enjoy this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below. © SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
