Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

Caesar Pasta Salad is the best of Caesar Salad and Pasta Salad together at last, busting with hypnotic texture and bright, tangy, garlicky dressing!

This Caesar Pasta Salad is as addictingly scrumptious as they come, make ahead friendly and will have everyone talking at potlucks, picnics and parties!  It’s a hypnotic blend of tender pasta, fresh, crisp Romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons and rich, salty Parmesan all bathed in my WAY-better-than-store-bought, bright, tangy, garlicky, Caesar Dressing. Turn this salad into Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or my featured, downright swoon worthy Blackened Chicken that truly elevates this recipe to the best!

Pasta salad recipes aren’t only a hit at gatherings, they make the best sides to practically every meal!  Try out these favorites:  Italian Tortellini Salad, Greek Pasta Salad, Mexican Pasta Salad, Orzo Pasta Salad, Cowboy Pasta Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and Creamy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad. 

HOW TO MAKE caesar pasta salad VIDEo

 

Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients

This Caesar Pasta Salad has three main components:

1) Pasta Salad
2) Caesar Dressing
3) Chicken

This recipe is VERY forgiving! You can make it completely from scratch, or mix and match from-scratch and store-bought elements. You can add or omit anything you like to the pasta salad itself. The homemade dressing is far superior than store-bought, but you can use your favorite brand in a time crunch. My favorite chicken for this recipe is blackened chicken, but I’ve included lots of variations as well. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need for each one:

caesar Dressing ingredients

Your Caesar Pasta Salad is only as good as your Caesar Dressing, so you can proceed with confidence because this recipe is the BEST! Traditional Caesar Dressing is made with whole anchovies, extra virgin olive oil, raw egg yolk, freshly squeezed lemon juice, tangy Dijon mustard, spicy raw garlic, salty Parmesan and pepper.  My recipe differs slightly by using sour cream and mayo instead of raw egg and olive oil and the results are hypnotic and extra easy!

• Mayonnaise substitute: Use avocado-based mayo or your favorite vegan mayonnaise substitute.  Readers have said great things about grapeseed oil Vegainase.
• Sour cream: Fat-free sour cream can be used but remember, fat equals creaminess and flavor so adjust your expectations accordingly.   You may also substitute with plain Greek yogurt or vegan mayonnaise.
• Parmesan substitute: If you’re vegetarian or vegan, try Whole Foods 365 or BelGioioso brands of Parmesan, which are truly vegetarian (most Parmesans contain animal rennet).
• Anchovy substitute:  Use any of the above listed anchovy substitutes.
• Vegan Caesar dressing:  Use vegan sour cream, vegan mayonnaise, vegan Worcestershire sauce, vegan Parmesan and replace the anchovies with 2 tablespoons minced and mashed capers.
• Tomato substitute: Grape tomatoes will work as well, however, cherry tomatoes are inherently sweeter than grape, so aim for cherry if you can.  You can also chop up a few Roma tomatoes but make sure to seed them first.
• Mustard: If you don’t have Dijon mustard, swap it for any mustard such as regular yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard, French, whole grain, etc.

• Rotisserie chicken:  You’ll need about 2 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Simply seasoned pan seared chicken: Slice two breast sliced through the equator and pound with the side of a can or meat mallet to an even thickness to tenderize the chicken and to help it cook more evenly. Season the chicken by brushing it lightly with olive oil and sprinkling with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper or any of your favorite seasoning mixes.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add pounded chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.  Flip chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked to 160 degrees F.
• Baked chicken:  Slice, pound and season chicken per above instructions. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, or until cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
• Grilled chicken:  Slice, pound and season chicken per above instructions. Grill chicken undisturbed for about 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. (An inserted thermometer should read 160 degrees F.)  The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken. 
• Homemade shredded chicken:  Season chicken with salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides, then carefully cover with 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and is tender enough to shred.  An 8-ounce chicken breast will need to simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes. Shred or chop once cool enough to handle. 
• Leftover chicken:  Chop up any leftover chicken for the tastiest leftovers!
• Pesto chicken:  The chicken is enveloped in aromatic pesto bursting with basil and garlic as well as additional seasoning to ramp up the flavor.  You can bake the chicken, grill the chicken or cook it on the stovetop.
• Caesar dressing marinated chicken:  Increase the dressing recipe and marinate the chicken in about ⅓ cup dressing.  Grill, bake or cook in a skillet.

How to make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This Caesar Pasta Salad will blow your mind with its hypnotic layers of flavor thanks to the homemade Caesar Dressing and Blackened Chicken.  Let’s take a closer look at how to make it (full recipe measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):

• Step 1:  Prep anchovies.  Start by chopping the anchovies until finely minced.  Next, use the side of your knife to mash the anchovies by pressing down and sliding the knife against the cutting board to create a paste.

• Step 2:  Make the Caesar dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mixing bowl except the Parmesan and mix until smooth; then mix in the Parmesan. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator while you make the chicken and cook the pasta.

• Step 3:  Make chicken fillets.  Slice the chicken through the equator to create 4 fillets. Cover the fillets with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, side of a can or rolling pin to an even thickness, about ½-inch.  This not only helps the chicken cook evenly, but makes it extra tender without the need for a marinade!

• Step 4:  Spice rub the chicken.  Mix all of the Blackening Seasonings together in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry and lightly coat with olive oil. Season both sides of the chicken with the seasonings.

• Step 5:  Cook the chicken.  Cook the chicken in butter and olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side or until deeply blackened.  Let rest 5 minutes before chopping.

• Step 6:  Assemble the pasta salad.  Toss the pasta, chicken, tomatoes and half of the dressing together in a large bowl.   

• Step 7: Chill the pasta salad.  Store the salad in the refrigerator for an hour or until ready to serve so the ingredients have time to meld.   

• Step 8:  Add remaining ingredients. When ready to serve, add the chopped Romaine, croutons, remaining dressing and freshly grated Parmesan. Toss to combine then dig in!

• Swap in tortellini:   These cheesy stuffed pasta pillows are one of my favorite pastas in salads. You can use any type of cheese tortellini, even sausage tortellini would be yummy!  Make sure you use fresh, refrigerated tortellini and not dried tortellini on the shelf.
• Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free medium pasta and gluten free croutons or make your own croutons with gluten free bread. You’ll also want to pay attention to use gluten free Worcestershire sauce in the dressing.
• Make your own croutons:  This is easy to do by cubing half a loaf of sourdough or French bread into small pieces. Toss the cubes with ¼ cup olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon EACH dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder and some freshly cracked salt and pepper on a baking sheet.  Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until golden, stirring halfway through.
• Use a different protein:  Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, sauteed shrimp, grilled Shrimp, salami, pepperoni, leftover chopped pork tenderloin, ham etc. If adding salami, pepperoni, bacon or ham, reduce the salt in the recipe and add salt to taste.
• Add bacon: If you skip the smoky blackened chicken and just use rotisserie chicken (or skip the chicken altogether), then I suggest adding smoky, salty bacon.  Use thick cut bacon so the bacon doesn’t get lost and retains its meaty texture when enveloped in the dressing. You can cook the bacon chopped or in slices on the stovetop or bake it in the oven.
• Use different greens: I love how crunchy yet neutral Romaine is but you can also use half Romaine, arugula, kale, butterhead lettuce, shaved Brussels sprouts, etc., but be aware these stronger greens will impact the flavor.
• Add avocados:  Add sliced or chopped avocados for a satisfying creamy burst to complement the crunchy textures.  Make sure you use ripe avocados but not overly ripe or they will turn to mush.  To tell if an avocado is ripe, squeeze it gently. A ripe avocado should yield slightly to pressure but not feel overly soft.  If your avocados ripen before you are ready to use them, pop them in the refrigerator to dramatically slow down the ripening process.  For more detailed information on how to select avocados, see my guacamole recipe.
• Add eggs: Add 2-4 hard-boiled eggs.
• Add corn: Add two ears sweet corn on the cob.  You can slice the kernels directly off of the cob OR char them for an amped up layer of smoky, juicy YUM like I do in my Corn Salsa, Avocado Corn Salsa, and Mexican Salad recipes.
• Add pepperoncini:  They are slightly sweet but mostly tangy with a slight zip of heat.  Pepperoncini typically come in a glass jar and are easy to find at your grocery store next to the sandwich condiments such as pickles, banana peppers and jarred roasted red bell peppers.
• Add olives: Gems of dark, rich salty flavor.
• Add pickled jalapenos:  For a spicy, tangy kick!  Start with just a little and stir in more to taste – you don’t want to ruin your entire pasta salad by making it too spicy!