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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar pasta salad with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing, penne cooked al dente, and grilled chicken for a hearty romaine pasta salad feel. Chilled for 30 minutes so flavors meld, then finished with crunchy croutons and extra parmesan.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
  • 12 oz penne pasta
  • 2 cup grilled chicken breast, sliced
  • 2 romaine hearts, chopped
  • 1 cup croutons
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, shaved
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 fillets anchovy fillets, minced
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta and cool
  1. Cook the penne pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain. Rinse under cold water and cool completely so it won’t clump.
Make Caesar dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, minced garlic, and minced anchovy fillets together until smooth. Whisk in grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, and olive oil until creamy and glossy.
Toss salad
  1. Combine the cooled penne with most of the chopped romaine and the sliced grilled chicken in a large bowl. Toss to distribute the romaine ribbons and chicken evenly.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the Caesar dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until well coated. Fold in the shaved parmesan, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add the remaining chopped romaine and croutons. Toss lightly so the croutons stay crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse and cool the pasta fully before mixing so the Caesar dressing stays creamy instead of watering out. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; for best texture, add croutons within 30 minutes of serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because the romaine and dressing texture will change. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt-based Caesar while keeping the parmesan and anchovy for the classic flavor.