Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is the ultimate mashup. It combines the best of both worlds - delicious pasta and chicken Caesar salad with a homemade dressing and crispy breadcrumbs. It's made with just a few simple ingredients, everyone will love this dish at gatherings this summer!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 492kcal
Equipment
- Skillet
- stock pot
Ingredients
Caesar dressing
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- 6 whole anchovies in oil
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon optional
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup neutral oil like avocado oil or mild olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan about 2 ounces
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Chicken
- 1 pounds chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste and optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Toasted breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
Caesar pasta salad
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta like penne or rotini
- 2 hearts romaine chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces of cheese)
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Juice of ½ a lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- freshly cracked black pepper & salt to taste
Instructions
Caesar dressing
- Start by smashing the garlic cloves, sprinkle with kosher salt, and finely chop using the rolling chop method. Chop, gather, chop, gather, and occasionally smear with a knife. Continue this process for 3-5 minutes.6 cloves garlic, ¼ - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the anchovies to the garlic, and continue to mince and smash the anchovies and garlic into a paste.6 whole anchovies in oil
- To a medium size bowl, add in the garlic anchovy paste, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, and dijon mustard. Whisk to combine.2 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, ¼ cup lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- While constantly whisking, slowly add in the oil until fully emulsified.½ cup neutral oil
- Add in the parmesan, then whisk to combine.½ cup freshly grated parmesan
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper.freshly cracked black pepper
Chicken
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken with kosher salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and oil in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine and coat on all sides.1 pounds chicken breast, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes , ½ teaspoon black pepper, Zest of 1 lemon, 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Sear in a skillet, cooking in batches if necessary until completely cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside for 10 minutes to rest before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
Pasta
- Meanwhile, when the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.8 ounces uncooked pasta
- Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
Breadcrumbs
- In a pan, add oil, followed by the breadcrumbs and a big pinch of salt.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, ¼-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and toasted.
- Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
Pasta salad
- Add the cut up romaine and chopped chicken to the bowl with the cooked pasta.2 hearts romaine
- Add the prepared dressing, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and toss to combine.¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese , Zest of 1 lemon, freshly cracked black pepper & salt to taste , 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- To serve, garnish with more freshly cracked black pepper, the breadcrumbs, and parmesan. Enjoy!
- We don't recommend storing leftovers after the salad has been fully assembled, because it will become soggy. However, they can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days.
Video
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 1mg