Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. Grilled chicken is tossed with Caesar dressing, cooked pasta, beautiful cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese for a lite weekday meal!
Chicken Caesar Salad with Pasta
I am a sucker for new cookbooks. My friend Alli from Cupcake Diaries just came out with a fun new summer book that is a MUST own. It was so difficult to decide what I would make first. There are so many tasty recipes that look drool worthy.
After much debate we decided there was one tasty dish we could not pass up…
Why did I pick this recipe? The ingredient list is short, the prep time is minimal, and it looked delicious! All three things I try to consider when picking what to have for dinner.
This easy summer recipe is as tasty as it sounds. We have made it time and time again with grilled OR baked chicken. That means it is an excellent way to use up leftovers.
Win? I like to think so. It is incredibly delicious no matter which route you go.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients:
- Pasta
- Salt
- Caesar Dressing
- Garlic Powder
- Lemon Juice
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Parmesan Cheese
- Pepper
- Grilled Chicken
Can we pause for a second and talk about how easy this list of ingredients is?? I like to toss a few chicken breasts on the grill in the beginning of the week. I dice, shred, or wrap up as a full breast so they are ready to be added to our favorite dishes throughout the week! With the main prep work done, you can have this salad recipe together in under 10 minutes! Talk about a super easy weekday dinner.
One tip? Make sure you purchase quality Caesar dressing. This is where you will get about 80% of your flavor. Since it coats all of the ingredients you want to make sure you pick a flavor packed version.
What is the best Caesar dressing?
We have tried SO many different versions and brands. This short list is our go-to’s or favorites, but there are dozens out there we haven’t gotten to sample yet.
- Ken’s Chef’s Reserve Creamy Caesar With Roasted Garlic
- Girard’s Classic Caesar Dressing
- Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar Dressing
How to make grilled chicken Caesar salad:
- Cook pasta with salt according to package directions. Rinse thoroughly.
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Toss and serve.
Tip: We like to let our pasta sit for a few minutes in the strainer to allow the excess water to drain. This allows the dressing to really stick when tossing all of the ingredients.
Occasionally we make this ahead of time. The secret is to wait until you are ready to serve to toss the ingredients all together. This helps the lettuce and tomatoes to stay fresh and crisp.
Like this recipe? You will love my:
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. Grilled chicken is tossed with Caesar dressing, cooked pasta, beautiful cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese for a lite weekday meal!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Penne Pasta
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup Caesar dressing
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 10 oz grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups grilled chicken, diced
Instructions
1. Cook pasta with salt according to package directions. Rinse thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Toss and serve.
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Karen
Thursday 2nd of June 2016
This was awesome!!! If I wanted to make a little bit more dressing, what would you suggest in the measurements? Thanks for sharing!
Alli @ Cupcake Diaries
Thursday 26th of May 2016
Thank you so much for the kind words and your awesome review! I appreciate your friendship and for helping me promote my cookbook. Sure love you!!