Crisp lettuce, tender chicken and pasta come together quickly in this homemade Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad that’s perfect as a side or main dish.
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The Perfect Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Last year, my sister introduced me to one of my favorite salads: the Cheddars’ Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, made with crisp romaine lettuce and penne pasta noodles.
I had never combined pasta and lettuce before, but it’s surprisingly good! And the penne pasta is great with salad dressing because the dressing slips into the noodles, so every bite is packed with flavor.
At Cheddars, the salad comes with grilled chicken, but I always request blackened chicken because I like the heat ~ and face it ~ it’s more Zestuous that way.
What I don’t like about the salad is the unknown amount of calories it contains. Livestrong claims it might have as many as 1,200 calories, but no one really knows because Cheddars hasn’t released its nutrition info yet (but they are working on it).
In the meantime, it’s super easy to make this at home and a sneaky way to get veggies in.
And by using my 25-Cal Caesar Dressing, you can have a large bowl for about 250 calories.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups dry penne pasta
- 2 chicken breasts
- blackened seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup 25-Cal Caesar Dressing
Instructions
- SEASON: Season chicken breasts on both sides with liberal amounts of blackened seasoning.
- GRILL: Grill over medium heat for 12-15 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- BOIL: In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente.
- COMBINE: Combine cooked chicken, al dente pasta and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- TOSS: Toss pasta and salad ingredients together until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients for chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chopped Romaine Lettuce. Depending on your preference, you can buy a pre-packaged salad mix or roughly chop romaine hearts.
- Dry Penne Pasta. Feel free to use bow tie or rotini pasta here. You just want something with ridges or a hole so the dressing can cling to the noodles.
- Chicken Breast. You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to cut back on cook times.
- Blackened Seasoning
- Parmesan Cheese. Salty parmesan cuts the creaminess of the dressing for a more nuanced flavor.
- Caesar Dressing. The star of this show can be store-bought or homemade Caesar dressing.
Substitutions: Describe
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make chicken Caesar salad with pasta
- Season: Season chicken breasts on both sides with liberal amounts of blackened seasoning.
- Grill: Grill over medium heat for 12-15 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Boil: In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente.
✔️ PRO TIP
Make sure to check your package directions for the correct amount of time.
- Combine: Combine cooked chicken, al dente pasta and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Toss: Toss pasta and salad ingredients together until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
How to serve cold pasta salad
I think this recipe is perfect for the summer months. It’s the perfect side dish for hot dogs, burgers and brats at a barbecue or can be a great meal all on its own. You can add so many extra goodies here, like fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped red onion for a pop of color or crunchy croutons for extra texture. Make sure you have freshly cracked black pepper and extra parmesan cheese for those
Storage
I recommend storing this with the dressing separately to avoid soggy lettuce. Store both the dressing and the salad in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your cooked chicken and pasta may have been too hot when you added it to the other ingredients. I recommend letting them cool down or get to room temperature before adding to the lettuce salad mixture.
I made this recipe as a lightened-up version of the Cheddars’ Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad since I wasn’t sure about its calorie count. This recipe has plenty of protein, carbs, and greens, with around 250 calories per serving.
Fantastic salad, had it more than once and has always been FRESH!!
Thanks John!