Description
This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad combines the classic flavors of Caesar dressing with tender grilled chicken, penne pasta, fresh romaine lettuce, and crisp croutons. It's a refreshing and satisfying salad perfect for lunch or dinner, featuring a creamy anchovy and parmesan dressing that ties all the ingredients together beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing:
- 5 anchovy fillets, canned in oil (drained)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Salad:
- 10 oz. dry penne pasta
- 4 cups (slightly packed) chopped romaine lettuce (preferably romaine hearts or the center portion)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled, cooled, then chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cup croutons, homemade or store-bought
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and set aside to cool. Drain pasta and transfer to an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Let pasta cool completely.
- Make the dressing: Mince anchovies in a medium mixing bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Chill dressing in the fridge until ready to use.
- Toss salad and dressing: In a large salad bowl, combine cooled pasta, chopped romaine lettuce, grilled chopped chicken, halved grape tomatoes, and chopped fresh parsley. Pour dressing over the mixture and toss well to evenly coat all ingredients. Thin the salad mixture with reserved pasta water as needed since the dressing thickens as it sits.
- Add croutons and cheese: Add croutons and shredded parmesan cheese to the salad and toss a few more times to incorporate evenly. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Serve within a few hours to prevent the lettuce from wilting. Keep the salad chilled until serving.
- You can prepare the pasta salad in advance but wait to add the croutons and lettuce to keep them crisp.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing in the fridge to toss with the lettuce before adding it to the pasta salad if making ahead.
- If the salad thickens after sitting overnight, thin it with a little water before adding the lettuce and croutons for the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
