Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

from 105 votes

Whip up a 20-minute meal in-a-bowl with a refreshing recipe for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad starring DIY dressing.

A top down view of a bowl containing the best Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar salad, meet pasta salad. Pasta salad, meet chicken Caesar salad.

Now that everyone’s acquainted, allow me to introduce you to the greatest matrimony since peanut butter and jelly: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad.

Top down view of Caesar pasta salad with chicken and croutons

Look at all that goodness in a bowl!

Crisp Romaine lettuce, store-bought rotisserie chicken (time-saver of the century!), crunchy croutons, Parmesan cheese shavings and rotini noodles, all tossed in a creamy homemade Caesar salad dressing.

Bowl containing homemade caesar dressing ingredients

The anchovy paste is totally optional, although it does give this Caesar its characteristic flavor oomph. But the real secret to the best DIY Caesar salad  is the addition of grated Parmesan cheese whisked right into the dressing.

Glass bowl containing caesar salad dressing, parmesan cheese and a whisk

I love dicing up a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this a complete meal, but you could easily leave out the poultry to make this the ultimate side salad for potlucks, casual weeknight spreads or weekend bashes.

Chopped romaine on cutting board with knife next to three bowls containing chicken, pasta and croutons

Roasted salmon, grilled shrimp or my personal fave, skirt steak, would also be welcome additions.

To save a few more minutes (from this 20-minute dish!), whip up the dressing and salad separately then stash them in the fridge. When ready to serve, toss ’em together and grab the forks.

Glass bowl containing the best Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad ingredients

I’m no stranger to stellar pasta salads, but this one just gave my Greek Pasta Salad a run for its money on my list of all-time faves!

A top down view of a large bowl and a small bowl containing Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

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Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Whip up a 20-minute meal in-a-bowl with a refreshing recipe for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad starring DIY dressing.
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 105 votes
A top down view of a bowl containing the best Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients 

For the dressing:

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

For the pasta salad:

  • 8 oz. uncooked pasta, such as rotini or penne
  • 2 hearts of Romaine
  • Shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped chicken breasts
  • Croutons (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions 

Make the dressing:

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, minced garlic and anchovy paste until well combined. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon pepper then set the dressing aside while you make the salad.

Make the pasta salad:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
  • Cut the Romaine hearts into 1-inch pieces then add them and your protein of choice to the bowl with the pasta.
  • Add the prepared dressing and toss to combine. Add the croutons (optional) and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. 
  • ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 231mg, Potassium: 208mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 2015IU, Vitamin C: 2.4mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 1mg

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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.


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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Omgeeeeee so darn delicious!
    I made it for lunch today but used grilled turkey breast instead of chicken.. yum yum for my tum tum!!

  2. I love this. My veggie hating husband loves this. We were having a lot of leftovers we had to toss b/c left over salad is not good. So now, I actually mix every thing together except the salad so we can have left overs without soggy salad. Just cut up some fresh romaine lettuce and and add the Ceasar pasta mix and bam! It’s fresh and as good as the night before!

  3. 5 stars
    The whole dish is really good! But if you do nothing else, make the dressing! It’s delicious and super easy!! Not sure I’ll buy caesar dressing again.

  4. Yes I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious. Thanks for publishing it. I like md it so much that I was inspired to turn it around a little and make another version. The new version had mostly chopped romaine lettuce and a smaller portion of diced penne pasta. It was also delicious.

  5. 5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious!!!!! I had never had Caesar dressing before and now I am in Love I am making it again today..I can’t wait!,,,,

  6. This pasta salad is one of the best I have ever eaten!! The homemade Caesar dressing is SO much better than any bottled – and it’s not like it’s that hard to make !!
    I added chicken to mine to make a complete meal – so nice to eat when it’s sweltering outside
    Highly recommend ❤️❤️

      1. My mayo was expired so I combined 1/2 Greek yogurt (plain) and 1/2 cream cheese with a little milk. Worked really well!

  7. 5 stars
    I am a veggie lover so I added sweet onion, sugar snaps and radish . Also thinned the dressing a bit too. But it is a main stay on our menu now too. Thank you for sharing!

    1. You are so welcome, Tina! Love your additions, and I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!

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