Caesar pasta salad with whole wheat noodles, shredded chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, almonds, and homemade Greek yogurt caesar dressing. It’s seriously so easy to make!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
There’s no doubt that pasta salads make the best dishes. Just like our Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing or Greek Yogurt Pesto Chicken Pasta, this chicken Caesar pasta salad is easy, fresh, and a crowd-favorite. Not to mention it’s a meal in one.
It’s made with only 7-ingredients. So you can easily throw it together for picnics, potlucks, or a quick lunch.
Few More Reasons to Love this Recipe:
- It’s a great salad to make year-round.
- Made with better ingredients.
- This recipe makes a great lunch or even dinner.
- It yields a lot of salad, so it’s perfect for serving a crowd.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Ingredients
The ingredient list is short and sweet for this pasta salad. Here’s what you’ll need:
PASTA – preferably rotini or penne. I like to go with organic whole wheat noodles whenever I can. If you can’t find whole wheat rotini or penne, something such as bow-tie will work too.
ROMAINE LETTUCE – whether you pick up a bag of chopped romaine or a head of romaine and chop it yourself, you’ll need about 6 cups of chopped lettuce.
CHICKEN – I’m a fan of making my own shredded chicken. It tastes way better than rotisserie. But I’m also not opposed to rotisserie either. Use what works for you.
TOMATOES – It’s hard to find good-tasting tomatoes in the off-season months. That’s why I love tomatoes on the vine. You can find them year-round and they taste pretty good.
Katya’s TIP: If your tomatoes are hard, simply leave them on your counter for a few days so they can ripen up.
PARMESAN CHEESE – Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. It’s fresher and tastes better than bagged cheeses. You can substitute with shredded Asiago cheese, Pecorino Romano, or Manchego cheese.
ALMONDS – sliced almonds take place of the traditional croutons in this salad. They add the perfect crunch. Make sure to buy roasted almonds or roast them yourself for even more flavor.
CAESAR DRESSING – I love Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing. It’s lighter than traditional dressing and is very easy to make. It can be made ahead of time and simply stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
How to Make Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions or until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Toss everything together: In a large salad bowl, toss together the pasta with romaine lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, almonds, and Caesar dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Chill: Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. I think the salad tastes BEST after it’s chilled.
Serving and Storing Pasta Salad
Obviously this pasta salad serves delicious on its own but you can also pair it with lighter type side dishes to make it a complete meal. Here are some of our favorites:
- Zucchini and Corn Fritters
- Healthy Veggie Rolls
- Grilled or roasted vegetables
- Veggie soup, such as Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Raw cut up veggies, especially in the warmer months, such as tomatoes and cucumbers with a sprinkle of kosher salt
The pasta salad tastes the best the same day. It will soak up the dressing the longer it sits, especially after it’s been refrigerated.
You can enjoy it the next day but I would recommend making an extra dose of the Greek Yogurt Caesar dressing to freshen up the pasta before serving.
Craving more pasta salads? Here are a few favorites:
- Chili Garlic Rice Noodle Salad
- Caprese Orzo Salad
- Israeli Couscous Salad with Marinated Artichokes
- Artichoke Spinach Orzo Salad
If you try Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, don’t forget to leave feedback and a rating.
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Caesar pasta salad with whole wheat noodles, shredded chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, almonds, and homemade Greek yogurt caesar dressing. It’s seriously so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (4 oz.) dry whole wheat pasta, such as rotini or penne
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, about 6 cups
- 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 medium tomatoes on the vine, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, roasted
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to the box instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta with romaine lettuce, shredded chicken, tomatoes, Parmesan, almonds, and Caesar dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Leftovers: Pasta salad tastes the best the same day. It will soak up the dressing the longer it sits, especially after it’s been refrigerated. If you want to enjoy it the next day, have some extra Caesar dressing on hand to toss the pasta with before serving.
Keywords: cold pasta salad, healthy pasta salad, whole wheat salad
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