Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with Easy Homemade Dressing

This tasty Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a delicious meal for summertime! Whether you’re serving it as a main course or side dish, this easy pasta salad recipe is sure to become a fast favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

I’m going to loosely assume that if you’re here, Caesar Salad is one of your favorite salads. With a creamy dressing, crisp lettuce, and so much flavor, what’s not to love? It somehow gets even better in pasta salad form.

• This is an easy way to turn it into a main dish with the addition of juicy chicken and tender pasta. 
• There’s so many options with salad ingredients, plus you can choose to make your own Caesar salad dressing or use store-bought. 
• The cooking process is quick and simple, leaving you more time to live your life outside the kitchen!

Ingredients You’ll Need for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

• Pasta. I recommend a short shape like rotini, farfalle (bowtie), penne, orichette, or something similar. I used rotini pasta because that’s what we had in the pantry already.
• Seasoned chicken. Personally, I’m all about chicken thighs, but go with any cut of chicken you like. For an even faster prep, pick up a rotisserie chicken or used any other pre-cooked option.
• Romaine lettuce
• Sliced red onion
• Parmesan cheese
• Caesar salad dressing. It’s your call here, you can go with a store-bought, premade version or whip up an easy homemade version. I’ve got you covered with this recipe for a homemade Caesar salad dressing with no raw egg yolks. 

Ready to shop? Instacart makes it easy and convenient to get these ingredients delivered. Click HERE to stock up on what you need!

If you’re wondering about chicken nutrition, check out this post next: Which Cut of Chicken Is The Best? You can also get detailed instructions on how to debone a rotisserie chicken in this post. 

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Swaps and Variations

The beauty of this chicken caesar pasta salad recipe is that it’s incredibly versatile and forgiving.

There’s no need for exact measurements of anything (other than maybe the homemade caesar dressing) and you can add a ton of different things to the mix.

I suggest these options if you’re looking for something different:

• Instead of regular pasta, swap for whole-grain or whole wheat pasta. This adds a little extra fiber and a slightly different texture. Or, if you need a gluten-free pasta option, swap for your favorite brand and cook according to the package directions. 
• Experiment with different pasta shapes. I love the cellentani (twisted penne pasta) because it really holds onto the creamy caesar dressing. But you can also try rotini, farfalle (bowtie pasta), penne pasta, elbows, or any other short shape that works well in other pasta salad recipes. 
• Try rotisserie chicken as a time-saving option, or pick up some grilled chicken breasts from your grocery store’s deli section. You might also try shrimp as a seafood option, especially grilled skewers with a light squeeze of lemon juice and grill seasoning. In a pinch, you can even mix in a few bacon bits!
• Add crunchy store-bought or homemade croutons if you’d like, but wait until you’re ready to serve to keep them from getting soggy. 
• Mix in other vegetables like cherry or grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, or other types of salad greens if you’d like. 

How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe is super simple! If you can boil water and safely use a knife and cutting board, you’ll be in business.

Grab a large mixing bowl (probably bigger than you think you need) and let’s get started!

Just follow my step-by-step tips:

1. First, make a few key decisions about which version of the recipe you’re making. As in, are you making your own dressing or using store-bought? Are you cooking the chicken or using a rotisserie chicken? If that’s the case, skip ahead to Step 3. 
2. If you’re going the DIY route for your chicken caesar pasta salad, prep the two signature components. Whip up an Easy Homemade Caesar Dressing and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Then pull out your chicken thighs or breasts and season with salt, pepper, and any other favorite seasonings. Give it a sear on the grill or griddle, or on the stovetop until fully cooked. Remember, the internal temp for chicken should hit 165 degrees F. 
3. Get a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil. Then add the pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente pasta. Meanwhile, chop up the romaine lettuce and slice the red onions.
4. Once cooked, drain the pasta. Rinse under cold water to disperse most of the heat. 
5. From there, add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Roughly chop or slice your chicken, then add the crisp romaine lettuce, sliced red onions, parmesan cheese, and Caesar salad dressing. Toss the pasta and gently fold together until well-mixed, hit it with a little extra parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper, and serve it up. Enjoy!

Nice and easy, right? There’s really nothing to this delicious pasta salad and you’re on your way to a great meal. Just be sure to check the notes in the recipe card for my suggestions if you’re using precooked chicken or a store-bought dressing.

Storage Suggestions & Meal Prep Tips

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and eat within 1-2 days.

Technically, this chicken caesar pasta salad is fine to eat after that but the quality and texture will go downhill. There’s no need to reheat since it uses fully cooked chicken, and you can add more dressing or parmesan cheese to spruce it up a little bit if needed. 

If you plan on making this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad as a meal prep option, here are some tips for best results:

• Undercook the pasta, but *just barely* under al dente. This will help the pasta hold its shape without becoming soggy or falling apart.
• Cook the chicken advance, but store separately from the pasta and other ingredients. This gives you the option to reheat it in the microwave if you want to and provides more options to avoid boredom.
• The lettuce will stay more crispy if you store it in a different container. This is optional, but if you’re one of those people who really likes the crunchy texture, this is essential!
• Make sure you seal it up tightly! Invest in good-quality airtight containers (personally, we love these from Rubbermaid) and at the very least, cover it tightly with plastic wrap if leaving it in a serving bowl.

Overall, I think these small changes can help stretch the shelf-life in the fridge up to 3-4 days. But keep in mind that it’s easy to lose track of leftovers or prepped ingredients, so if you can, label your containers! This can help prevent food waste since you won’t question how long it’s been in there. 

If your taste buds are ready, let’s get into the full recipe for my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad!

Since this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipes uses a creamy dressing, be sure to serve it chilled. It’s a food safety risk to let it stand at room temperature, especially for long periods of time.

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. You’ll be the new favorite at the cookout if you show up with a big bowl of this!

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad FAQ

Can I use a different type of pasta for this pasta salad?

Yes, absolutely! Use any type of short shape you like or already have in your pantry.

This includes bowtie, rotini, penne, elbows, or other similar shapes. Avoid very small shaped, like orzo, or long shapes, like spaghetti.

Use a whole grain pasta for extra fiber, or a high-protein pasta for added protein. And of course, swap for a gluten-free pasta option if you need to avoid gluten for any reason.

Can I substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs?

Yes, no problem! I’m partial to dark meat chicken, but you can just at easily make this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe with white meat chicken or chicken breasts.

You also can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken in a pinch. Just make sure to chop it into bite-sized pieces before mixing it in.

Can I use store-bought Caesar dressing instead of homemade?

Sure can! There’s nothing wrong with the convenience of a pre-made dressing or store-bought dressing.

Since the flavor may be slightly different, adjust the amount you use according to your taste preference. Refrigerate the bottle or jar after opening.

Can I add other ingredients to Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad?

Of course! Try sliced cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, or other types of salad greens.

You can also add chopped bacon, canned chickpeas or white beans, or extra anchovies.

And as always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog!

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Disclosure: This post was originally published in June 2023. It has since been updated to improve the overall quality of the information and/or images.