Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is the ultimate summertime dinner or side dish. It combines the best of both worlds - delicious pasta and chicken Caesar salad with a homemade dressing and crispy breadcrumbs. Bring this to your next cookout or BBQ and watch it be gobbled up quickly. It's made with just a few simple ingredients!

If you're looking for a new knockout pasta salad this summer - this recipe is IT! It's absolutely packed with flavor, and is just the perfect mashup of two really delicious favorites.

We'll show you how to bring this tasty dish together with just a few simple ingredients and steps.

You may also enjoy this chicken pesto pasta salad or this creamy pasta salad recipe!

❤️Why We Love This Recipe

• Classic flavors, kicked up a notch. Caesar salad and pasta salad are both classic favorites - so combining them just makes for an incredible bite!
• Approachable recipe. This recipe is bursting with flavor but is approachable for beginner cooks. We promise our step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and will ensure a perfect result every time!
• Crowd pleaser. Take this pasta salad to your next BBQ, potluck, or cookout, or serve it to guests. We guarantee everyone will love it!
• Made with simple ingredients. Everything you need to make this recipe can be found at any grocery store if you don't already have what you need on hand!

🧄Dressing Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for the dressing. It can be made in advance, or even swapped for your favorite store-bought version. We do highly recommend trying making this classic dressing from scratch for the most incredible flavor!

• Oil. Choose a neutral flavored oil. We used avocado oil, but you can use a mild-flavored olive oil, or any neutral oil of choice.
• Egg yolks. Use the freshest and highest quality eggs you can find. Keep the egg cold and don't allow it to come to room temperature for food safety. 
• Anchovies. This is technically optional, but this is what gives the dressing that signature Caesar dressing flavor. We opt for anchovies in olive oil. You can also use anchovy paste.
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated-cheese is best for this, but you can also use pre-grated cheese.
• Lemons. If possible, use organic lemons because we use both the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Information on variations and substitutions can be found below.

🥗Salad Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used to make the salad, including the homemade dressing! Information on substitutions and variations can be found below.

• Chicken. Chicken breasts or thighs will work for this, we used chicken breasts.
• Seasonings. We seasoned the chicken with oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Season the chicken however you'd like.
• Lemons. If possible, use organic lemons because we use both lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Pasta. You can use any short pasta shape of your choice. We opted for penne, but rotini, fusilli, or any short pasta would work well.
• Breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs work well for this.
• Oil. Any oil of choice you'd like to cook the chicken and toast the breadcrumbs. We used avocado oil.
• Caesar dressing. Make dressing homemade, or use your favorite store-bought version, and make sure it's chilled well.

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & Variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• No homemade dressing. Feel free to swap the homemade Caesar for your favorite store-bought variety to cut down on prep time.
• No breadcrumbs. If you prefer to skip making your own breadcrumbs, you can use store-bought croutons, or make your own!
• Use pre-cooked chicken. You can always use leftover cooked and cubed (or shredded chicken, like rotisserie) if you don't want to make the chicken for the salad.
• Herbed. Add in fresh herbs like dill, basil, or parsley for an extra pop of flavor to the salad and dressing.
• Egg-free. If you're uncomfortable using egg yolks, you can omit the egg yolks and oil and swap them for prepared mayonnaise instead.
• No anchovies. If you don't care for anchovies, you can omit them, and swap in more Worcestershire sauce for that extra umami flavor.
• Vegan. Use vegan mayo instead of eggs and oil, use vegan Worcestershire sauce instead of anchovies, swap the regular parmesan for a vegan version, and omit the chicken or swap in your favorite plant-based protein.
• Gluten-free. Make sure your Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs are gluten-free.

This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

🔪Prep Work

• Wash, dry, and chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
• Zest & juice the lemons.
• Grate parmesan.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Measure out the rest of the ingredients to make the dressing and the salad.

Make the dressing

*Optional - skip to step 7 if you're not making your own dressing!

Mince the garlic very fine then add the anchovies on top. (Image 1)

Continue mincing the garlic and anchovies to form a paste. (Image 2)

Add the egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the garlic anchovy paste to a mixing bowl. (Image 3)

Whisk until combined, then slowly begin to stream in oil, whisking constantly to ensure the mixture is emulsified. (Image 4)

Add the freshly grated parmesan, black pepper, and salt to taste. (Image 5)

Whisk again, adjust seasonings to taste, and then place in the fridge to chill while you work on the rest of the salad. (Image 6)

⭑Pro tip: Make sure to add the oil to the mixture very slowly so that way the dressing emulsifies into a smooth mixture and doesn't separate.

Prepare the chicken

*If you're not making your own chicken, and using leftover cooked chicken/rotisserie chicken instead, skip to step 9.

Add the chicken to a mixing bowl, and season with kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to combine, then add in the oil and toss again. (Image 7)

To a hot skillet, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. (Image 8)

Set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes before cutting into pieces. This will help the chicken retain moisture so it's nice and juicy.

⭑Meanwhile: While the chicken is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions!

Prepare the toasted breadcrumbs

*If you're not making your own breadcrumbs, and using pre-made croutons instead, skip to step 10.

In a hot skillet, add oil, followed by the breadcrumbs with a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the breadcrumbs are toasted, about 7-10 minutes. (Image 9)

Assemble

To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, chopped chicken, chopped romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. (Image 10)

Toss to combine, then add in the Caesar dressing, salt, and fresh black pepper. Toss again. (Image 11)

⭑Pro tip: Run the pasta under cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and cool it off quickly.

Now, add the salad to a serving plate. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs, more parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!!

⭑Pro tip: Do not assemble the salad until just before it's time to eat, or it will become soggy quickly. You can prep ingredients and keep them separate in the fridge until it's time to enjoy.

✨Top Tips

• Use the freshest eggs you can find. If making your own dressing, use very high-quality, fresh eggs and keep them cold to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
• Don't skip the anchovies! Some folks may be grossed out by anchovies, but we promise, they are what make your Caesar salad taste amazing and give them that signature taste. Don't skip them!
• Don't overcook the pasta. No one likes mushy pasta! Cook until al dente, and then run the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will ensure it stays nice and firm.
• Assemble right before serving. You can prep all of these ingredients in advance, but we don't recommend assembling the salad until JUST before serving, or else your salad will become soggy.
• Add the breadcrumbs last! This is very important because they will become soggy. Add the breadcrumbs on top of the salad, and do not toss them with the other ingredients, or they will absorb the dressing and other liquids.