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This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe is super easy to put together and is perfect for an easy meal. It can be served hot or cold and is more filling and satisfying than a traditional Caesar salad. Serve this easy dish as a side or delicious meal. If you love Chicken Caesar Salad this recipe is a must try!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients
The combination of tender pasta, crunchy croutons, juicy chicken, crisp lettuce and caesar dressing makes this creamy pasta salad a complete meal. A handful of simple ingredients is all you need for this quick and easy pasta salad recipe! You will need:
- pasta- pasta- any shape you prefer we like to use rotini pasta or bowtie pasta for pasta salads
- chicken breast- use any leftover chicken you may have cooked already or grab a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store to make this meal even easier!
- black olives
- croutons
- Caesar dressing- a homemade caesar dressing or your favorite store-bought creamy caesar dressing
- lettuce
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This salad will be ready in about 30 minutes, even less if you have some leftover chicken in the refrigerator. A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is also perfect for this recipe!
To make this salad, start by cooking your pasta according to the package until al dente. Once pasta is cooked, drain water and rinse under cold water to cool it off a little bit. Place pasta in a large mixing bowl.
Then, add remaining ingredients and stir well. Salad can be served immediately or left to chill in the refrigerator before serving. Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap while in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.
If you don’t like wilted lettuce, leave out the lettuce until it’s time to serve the salad and stir it in. The dressing and heat from the pasta and chicken may wilt it slightly while it sits in the refrigerator.
More Salad & Pasta Salad Recipes to Try
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep in mind the lettuce may wilt slightly if already coated in caesar dressing but it is still okay to eat.
Yes, we kept this simple extremely simple to make it an easy go to weeknight meal. You can also add parmesan cheese, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, black pepper, chopped red onion, etc. Make this salad your own!
You can really use any kind of chicken you would like. In the past we have used leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, sauteed chicken, etc. Any of these options will work and if using leftover chicken you turn this already easy meal into a 20-minute meal.
This will vary but in general caesar dressing includes: lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, mayo, parmesan, salt and black pepper.
Yes to both! To make this recipe gluten free use gluten free pasta and gluten free croutons (or skip the croutons. To make this recipe dairy free use a dairy free caesar dressing. These dressings can be found in grocery stores in the dressings aisle or in the produce section.
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If you enjoy this recipe be sure to try our Italian Pasta Salad, Lemon Butter Shrimp and Pasta, Warm Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad, Citrus Chicken Pasta, Tomato Basil Pasta Salad, Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, BBQ Chicken Salad, Simple Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Cucumber Tomato and Onion Salad and Healthy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad makes for a quick and easy meal!
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, cooked
- 1 pound chicken breast, cooked
- 1/2 cup olives, sliced
- 1 cup croutons
- 1-1 1/2 cups Caesar dressing
- 2 cups lettuce
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions, rinse to cool and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, cook chicken breast in preferred way. We sauteed it with with olive oil, salt and pepper. Leftover chicken or precooked rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe!
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together and toss to coat with dressing.
Notes
If you prefer, add lettuce right before serving to keep it from wilting.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1/6th recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 433Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 531mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 29g