Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This delicious chicken Caesar pasta salad is packed with seasoned pan-fried chicken, al dente pasta, crisp romaine, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Keep it simple or elevate things with homemade dressing and croutons. It’s perfect for summer gatherings and easy dinners!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne or another pasta shape
- 2-3 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 hearts of romaine chopped
- 1-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 cups croutons store-bought or homemade
- 1/2-1 cup Caesar dressing store-bought or homemade
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water; add a generous pinch of salt, then cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain, toss with a very small drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, prepare the chicken. Sprinkle both sides evenly with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Warm olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until chicken develops a brown outer crust and is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board; when cooled slightly, cut into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chopped chicken, romaine, tomatoes, and Parmesan. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup of dressing and toss well. Add croutons and more dressing to taste. Enjoy!
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Notes
- To save time, skip pan-frying the chicken yourself and use a shredded rotisserie chicken.
- To take this up a notch, use homemade croutons and/or Caesar dressing. Both can be made as much as 3 days in advance.
- This keeps well for about a day in the refrigerator; if you expect to have a large amount of leftovers or want to make this a meal prep, consider combining the pasta, chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes in a large bowl, then adding the cheese, dressing, and croutons as you eat individual portions.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 446 kcal, Carbohydrates: 50 g, Protein: 20 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 37 mg, Sodium: 459 mg, Potassium: 443 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 3491 IU, Vitamin C: 8 mg, Calcium: 147 mg, Iron: 2 mg