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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with tender penne or rotini, diced grilled chicken, chopped romaine, and Parmesan in creamy Caesar dressing. Chill it for at least 1 hour for a classic main dish salad texture, then top with croutons and lemon for brightness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne or rotini pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta Cook according to package directions.
Grilled chicken breast
  • 2 cup grilled chicken breast, diced Use diced grilled breast for visible pieces.
Romaine lettuce
  • 4 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
Caesar dressing
  • 1 cup Caesar dressing
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Croutons
  • 1 cup croutons Keep for topping just before serving.
Cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
  • 1 Lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

Cook and chill base
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, diced grilled chicken breast, chopped romaine, and halved cherry tomatoes.
  3. Add the Caesar dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated and glossy.
  4. Sprinkle over the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper until the pasta salad looks speckled and evenly seasoned.
  5. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour, so it firms up slightly and flavors meld, with the surface looking set and cool.
Serve
  1. Top with the croutons just before serving so they stay crisp, then serve the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with lemon wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the pasta with cold water so the penne or rotini doesn’t clump and absorbs dressing evenly. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; add croutons right before serving for best crunch. Freezing is not recommended because the romaine and dressing texture will change. For a lighter option, use light Caesar dressing to reduce calories while keeping the same method and toppings.