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Remember that healthy Caesar dressing that I shared last week?!
I bet you thought I was going to make a classic Caesar salad this week, right?!
Wrong!
Although, I did eventually make a classic chicken Caesar salad…I couldn’t get the idea of a Caesar pasta salad out of my head. It’s essentially a Caesar salad with some pasta thrown in there. What’s not to love about that?!
We’ve got my healthy Caesar dressing, made with Greek yogurt – it’s uber creamy, bold in flavor, but half of the calories and fat as a store bought Caesar dressing is.
Then, we’ve got perfectly cooked pasta, some tender chicken breast, salty kalamata olives, a little more parmesan cheese for good measure, and of course lots of romaine lettuce for crunch…and because Caesar salad!
Caesar pasta salad with chicken is a complete meal. It’s served room temp, right after it’s made, and is the perfect dish for Caesar salad and pasta salad lovers alike. Not to mention that it’s a great meal for summer. All you have to do is boil some water to make your pasta.
Because I take the easy route and make use of that rotisserie chicken I love so much, so there’s no need to turn on an oven. Or, of course, you can use any leftover chicken you might have on hand.
End-of-summer easy street, so that you can spend less time in the kitchen, and get back outside and enjoy the final bits of summer sun!
Ingredients for Caesar pasta salad with chicken:
- Healthy Caesar dressing – So quick to make, just whiz everything up in a blender. Creamy, dreamy, salty, umami – all the Caesar dressing vibes with only half of the fat!!! Winning!
- Pasta – short cut pasta, such as penne, or any shape you like. I love to use Banza. it’s pasta made from chickpeas, making it lower in carbs, and higher in protein. Plus, it tastes so good!
- Previously cooked chicken – As I said, I like to make this recipe extra easy using a store bought rotisserie chicken. Besides, we’re making our own dressing here people! You could also use this opportunity to make use of any other leftover chicken that’s hanging around in your fridge. Or, you can easily cook up a chicken breast real quick, if you’re feelin’ it.
- Parmesan cheese shavings – Or you could use shredded Parmesan cheese, but I LOVE how the shaved parmesan cheese adds a nice texture. I get mine, freshly shaved in the deli cheese section of the grocery store. You could also use a little veggie peeler to shave your own. Please, use the good cheese though, not the powder stuff in the green can. Kthanks!
- Kalamata olives – I personally love the salty, meaty bite they add to this salad. Of course, you can easily leave them out if you’re not a fan.
- Romaine lettuce – that classic, crunchy leafy lettuce that we adore in a good Caesar salad. Yes, it joins the party of the pasta salad!
See, pretty simple ingredients, right?!
Wait, where are the croutons?!
Okay, I know that croutons in a Caesar salad are pretty classic. I made them once, and they were fine, but it felt like too much was happening in the pasta salad party.
The next time I tested the recipe, I omitted them, and honestly didn’t miss them one bit. I personally think the romaine lettuce provides enough crunch. And the other ingredients, and the dressing provide enough flavor.
However, if you are really wanting croutons in your Caesar pasta salad, I left a quick, rough recipe, for how to make your own in the notes of the recipe below. Or, feel free to use store bought instead.
How to make Caesar pasta salad with chicken:
- Make the healthy Caesar dressing – get it out of the way so it’s ready to go. 10 minutes, blend it up. Done! This can even be made in advance, if you want.
- Cook the pasta – you know, boil some water…wait until the pasta is done…and drain. You do want to rinse the pasta until it’s cooled down to both stop the cooking, and to get it ready to toss it with the rest of the salad.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients – slice the olives, cut up the chicken, cut up the romaine, wash and dry.
- Assemble – Add everything to a big mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
- Serve – serve the pasta salad immediately, at room temp.
EASY BUTTON!!!!
Note: this salad is best eaten right after it’s served. If you want to make it in advance, then I suggest storing the ingredients separate and assembling it just before serving. More info are in the notes of the recipe card below.
Can I make this pasta salad gluten free?
Yes!
Simply use a gluten free pasta.
If you’re making croutons, simply use a gluten free bread. Or, buy pre-made gluten free croutons.
Can I use a store bought Caesar dressing?
Yes, if you really need an extra short cut, go for it.
Keep in mind that my Caesar dressing has half of the fat and calories as a store bought dressing does. And that’s okay, but it’s something to mention if you want to be aware of that kind of thing.
Reasons to love Caesar pasta salad:
- It’s a fun twist on the classic Caesar salad
- It’s simple to make,
- Yet impressive,
- and bold in flavor.
- It only takes 25 minutes to make
- It’s gluten free adaptable
- It’s pretty to look at
- It’s got summer vibes
- It’s super tasty
More Caesar salad inspired recipes:
- chicken Caesar salad – the classic salad with juicy chicken added.
More summer Pasta recipes for your try:
- easy caprese pasta salad – served cold. Bursting with all the caprese flavors
- summer pesto pasta with shrimp – served warm, but such a lovely summertime pasta dish. Hello basil pesto!
More cold summertime salads for you to love:
- Mexican street corn salad – Best made with summer sweet corn. Such a treat!
- Sonoma chicken salad – Chicken salad perfection! LOVE this one for really hot days.
- classic creamy coleslaw – What’s summer without coleslaw?!
- marinated 3 bean salad – One of our all time FAVORITE salads!! Great for meal prep, or bringing to parties!
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a star rating, and comment down below. I love hearing from you. Thanks, friends!
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Caesar Pasta Salad with Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 5 1x
- Category: entree, chicken, salad, pasta, easy
- Method: boil, mix, blend
- Cuisine: gluten free, egg free, nut free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A fun twist on the classic Caesar salad. Caesar pasta salad is loaded with healthy Caesar dressing, pasta, romaine lettuce, chicken, kalamata olives, and Parmesan cheese. So easy, and so good!
Ingredients
healthy Caesar dressing
Pasta
- 8 ounces short cut pasta
- 1 cup previously cooked chicken, cooled, and chopped (see notes)
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shavings
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
Instructions
- Make the healthy Caesar dressing: If you haven’t already, make the dressing. (Click here for the recipe). Takes about 10 minutes to make in the blender. I like to add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the dressing to thin it out a little, making it a better consistency for the pasta salad. You could also make the dressing up to 3 days in advance.
- Boil the pasta: Follow the package directions to boil your pasta. I like to cook mine aldente (slightly underdone) so that as it sits in the sauce, it doesn’t become mushy, and just soaks up the sauce nicely. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse until the pasta is no longer hot.
- Prepare the remaining salad ingredients: While the pasta is boiling, prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut up the chicken, slice the olives, and measure out the cheese (or shave the cheese yourself if you have a block of Parmesan cheese), and cut up the romaine, rinse and dry it.
- Assemble: Once the pasta is cooked, drained, rinsed, and cooled add it to a large mixing bowl. Add the olives, chicken, and parmesan cheese, and romaine lettuce, along with most of the Caesar dressing. Toss gently to combine. If the pasta salad looks a little dry then add more dressing.
- Serve: The pasta salad is best when served immediately, at room temp. See notes if you want to make the pasta salad in advance.
Notes
Chicken: To keep this recipe super simple, and in the spirit of summer – I like to use a rotisserie chicken that I buy already cooked, and cut up myself. Other options: are to use up leftover chicken you have in the fridge around. Or to cook up a chicken breast at the beginning of making this recipe, allow it to cool, and then cut it up. Either way, will be delicious. P.S. I also think some cooked, cooled shrimp would be super tasty in this recipe
Croutons: I know, croutons are a traditional part of a Caesar salad. Well, I made them, and put them in my pasta salad, and while they added a nice crunch, I didn’t think that they were super essential. The pasta brings enough carbs to the recipe, the dressing and all the other ingredients are flavorful enough for me. But, if you did want to add some croutons – go for it!
Quick croutons recipe: Of course, you could use store bought. But, just in case, here is an easy, rough, recipe. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice up bread 1cup of bread into cubes, about – add to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, until well coated (About 1 tablespoon), season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the croutons are crunchy and brown. Allow to cool completely before adding to your pasta salad.
To make in advance: This pasta is best eaten right after it’s made. The lettuce gets soggy, and the dressing gets gloppy. However, if you want to bring this to a party, or make in advance, here is how: Prepare and store all of the ingredients separately. You can even cook the pasta in advance. Just before serving, add everything to a bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Gluten free: To make this recipe gluten free, be sure to use a gluten free pasta (I love Banza, chickpea pasta), and use a gluten free bread, if making the croutons. (Or, gluten free store bought croutons).
Nutrition facts: Keep in mind these are an estimation. They will vary depending on if you add croutons, or not, and what brand of pasta you use. I did include the calculation for the Caesar dressing.
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