Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Rotini, pan-seared chicken, and broad pieces of romaine make this a substantial Caesar salad, with Parmesan shavings and croutons in every serving. The dressing should leave a light creamy coating, not collect at the bottom of the bowl.
Cool the pasta and chicken before adding the romaine, then toss the salad close to serving so the leaves stay crisp. Rotisserie chicken and prepared Caesar dressing are useful shortcuts. This recipe makes 6 main-course servings or 8 side servings.
Ingredients for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces rotini (340g)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (450g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water and chicken
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 large romaine hearts, torn or chopped into broad bite-size pieces (about 8 cups; 300g)
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups irregular or roughly torn croutons (about 75g)
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (about 30g)
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (112g)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (25g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Whisk the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire, and black pepper until smooth. Add the anchovy paste if using. If the dressing is too thick to toss easily, whisk in cold water a teaspoon at a time. Set aside.
- Cook and cool the rotini: Cook the pasta uncovered in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, usually 8 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and drain when al dente. Without rinsing, spread it on a tray or platter to cool completely, gently separating any clumps.
- Sear the chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. If the breasts vary greatly in thickness, make them more even so they cook at a similar rate. Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then add the olive oil and chicken in a single layer. Cook uncovered, turning once when the first side is browned and releases easily. Start checking after about 5 minutes on the first side; cooking often takes 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. The thickest part must reach 165°F (75°C). Cook in batches if needed so the chicken browns rather than steams.
- Cool the chicken and dry the romaine: Rest the chicken briefly, cut it into bite-size pieces, and let it cool completely. Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine; water left on the leaves will dilute the dressing.
- Toss the salad: Combine the cooled rotini, chicken, and romaine in a large bowl. Add most of the dressing and toss gently, reserving a little for serving. Add more only if needed—the ingredients should be lightly coated, with no dressing pooling in the bowl.
- Finish and serve: Add the croutons just before serving. Scatter the shaved Parmesan over the salad and finish with black pepper.
Should You Rinse the Pasta?
Spreading the drained rotini out to cool keeps rinse water out of the salad and leaves some surface starch to help the dressing cling. If faster cooling matters more, a brief cold rinse is also reasonable. In either case, let the pasta cool completely before it touches the romaine.
Chicken and Dressing Shortcuts
- Cooked chicken: Replace the chicken breasts with about 3 cups of cool, pulled or chopped rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken.
- Prepared dressing: Use about 3/4 cup prepared Caesar dressing instead of the homemade dressing. Add it gradually, then taste before adding more seasoning; thickness and saltiness vary.
- Other short pasta: Bow ties or shells can replace rotini, though rotini’s spirals hold the dressing well.
How to Make Ahead and Store
For advance prep, refrigerate the cooked pasta and chicken once cooled. Keep the washed, thoroughly dried romaine, dressing, and croutons separate, then assemble close to serving. Pasta absorbs dressing as it rests, so toss in the reserved dressing if the salad needs refreshing.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container. Fully assembled salad is best soon after mixing because the romaine softens and the croutons lose their crunch. Serve chilled or cool; reheating is not needed. Freezing the assembled salad is not recommended because its texture will suffer.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1 of 6 main-course servings: 540 calories, 30g protein, 23g fat, and 52g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 175 calories, 10g protein, 8g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Values vary with the pasta, mayonnaise, and croutons used.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Tray or platter
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 12 ounces rotini (340 g)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (450 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water and chicken
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 large romaine hearts, torn or chopped into broad bite-size pieces (about 8 cups; 300 g)
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups irregular or roughly torn croutons (about 75 g)
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (about 30 g)
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (112 g)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (25 g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
Instructions
- Whisk the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper until smooth. Whisk in the anchovy paste if using.
- If the dressing is too thick to toss easily, whisk in cold water a teaspoon at a time. Set aside.
- Cook the rotini uncovered in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, usually 8 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and drain when al dente.
- Spread the pasta on a tray or platter to cool completely, gently separating any clumps.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. If the breasts vary greatly in thickness, even them out so they cook at a similar rate.
- Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and chicken in a single layer.
- Cook uncovered, turning once the first side is browned and releases easily. Start checking after about 5 minutes; cooking often takes 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F (75°C). Cook in batches if needed.
- Rest the chicken briefly, cut it into bite-size pieces, and let it cool completely.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine.
- Combine the cooled rotini, chicken, and romaine in a large bowl. Add most of the dressing and toss gently, reserving a little for serving.
- Add more dressing only as needed so the ingredients are lightly coated without dressing pooling in the bowl.
- Add the croutons just before serving. Scatter the shaved Parmesan over the salad and finish with black pepper.
Tips
- Cool the pasta and chicken completely before adding the romaine.
- Dry the romaine thoroughly so water does not dilute the dressing.
- Add the dressing gradually; the salad should be lightly coated, not pooled with dressing.
- Add croutons just before serving to keep them crisp.
- Spread the pasta out to cool without rinsing to help the dressing cling.
Variations
- Rotisserie Chicken: Replace the chicken breasts with about 3 cups of cool, pulled or chopped cooked chicken.
- Prepared Caesar Dressing: Use about 3/4 cup prepared Caesar dressing instead of the homemade dressing, adding it gradually.
- Bow Tie or Shell Pasta: Replace the rotini with bow ties or shells.