10-Minute Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is so quick to make and so delicious you will put this cold pasta salad into your regular rotation for lunches, parties, picnics and bbqs!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This delish cold pasta salad comes together in just minutes with just 6 ingredients! Cold chicken breast, Caesar dressing, croutons, Parmesan cheese and romaine lettuce are all you need to enjoy this perfect summer side dish. There isn’t a whole lot to this cold pasta salad recipe, but it is a fan favorite. We make this chicken caesar pasta salad for every party we host, and it is routinely one of the first items to be completely eaten.
Also, don’t be put off by the pre-made dressing. I know I tend not to use such items, but in this case, it is fresher and higher quality than most. (No sponsored post here, I just love certain refrigerated dressings and the Litehouse Caesar dressing is a fantastic prepared option).
A Cold Pasta Salad You can Warm up? Yep.
Meant to be eaten cold, this chicken caesar pasta salad can also be eaten warmed up. Yeah, I have been known to microwave it so the Parmesan cheese melts together. Uh huh, and guess what? The dressing is amazing warm too.
Recently I posted a Baked Chicken Caesar Pasta with a buttery cracker crust that we make often. I also mentioned that there was a cold version of the dish that is a regular in our rotation, and is so easy to make that we love making it for any occasion — this is it! We also love other cold pasta salads like Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and Antipasto Pasta Salad.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Topping Ideas:
- Buttery Crisp Topping: Add the buttery cracker crust instead of croutons.
- Cheesy Chicken Caesar Pasta: Skip the romaine lettuce and croutons and microwave. Crumble croutons over it.
- Brighten the flavors: Squeeze of lemon juice to brighten flavors!
- More Protein Options: Swap out the chicken for steak or shrimp!
- Grilled Salad: Add grilled romaine lettuce and charred lemons (this is SO flavorful!)
Homemade Caesar Dressing Recipe:
Add all the ingredients to a small food processor until smooth and creamy.
- 3 cloves garlic, cut into quarters
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into chunks
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 6 ounces Parmesan Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups caesar dressing
- 1 cup croutons
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water for one minute less than the directions on the box.
- Let cool slightly for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the dressing, chicken, cheese and black pepper (to taste).
- Toss together, top with croutons and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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This post was originally published on August 18, 2015
I made this today… it was absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Lisa!
Hi
I can hardly wait to start cooking. We r going on a camp out with our grandchildren, age 5 and 7. They love to try new things and I think aom or these recipes will be a great hit.
Sounds like a great idea for a campout dish! Hope your family enjoys it!
I use shrimps instead of chicken. I believe this is going to be great. Thanks again for your time and help with dinner and dessert.
You’re welcome Mimi!
This looks heavenly! I really want to try your salad recipe!
I hope you enjoy it!
I love how easy and amazing this salad is!! Can’t wait to try it!!
Enjoy!
Looks delicious and I love how easy it is!
Thank you! It really is easy!
This pasta salad looks amazing!
It’s a win all around! Lunch or dinner.
Thank you Des!
What a great idea! I love pasta and caesar salads.
Thanks Jacque!
I love everything about this. Pasta and Caesar Salad are two of my favorites, so together is the perfect meal for me.
Love a great pasta salad and yours looks terrific! Thanks for stopping by #TryaBiteTuesday and sharing your delicious recipe! Pinned and shared – hope to see you back this week!
Thanks so much Debra! Definitely!
I did something similar to this earlier this summer. It was such a refreshing meal idea!
Awesome!
Oh my Yum!! This looks super easy and delicious! I think my kids would eat it!! I know I would!
It is dangerously good, I could eat the whole platter of it!
This looks sooo good! I love chicken caesar salad but never thought to make it into a pasta dish. I have to try this, I know my husband and even the kids will love it as long as there’s extra parm!
Oh yes, 6 full ounces of it!
What an easy recipe! My family would like this.
Fabulous! I am adding this meal to my routine when I need a quick dinner fix.
Thanks! I hope you love it!
Man that is a good looking last picture right there. I’d love to try the pasta salad.
Thanks Rose Marie!
Oh yummy! My whole family would adore this. What a nice addiction to my dinner rotation. Perfect for lunch, too!
Quick and easy meals are always welcomed around here. It seems we’re always so busy. Chicken Caesar Pasta or salad sounds like a winner.
Thanks! I love how quick this dish is too.
Although I love to cook, when it’s just me at lunchtime I often make things that aren’t all that fun. This would definitely be an easy lunch and one that I’d be excited about.
Thanks Crystal! I know what you mean, my lunches when I am alone are usually bread I don’t even bother toasting with sliced chicken or deli meat.
All of that delicious cheese on top! I never thought about Caesar chicken without the salad! Looks just as good
Oh yes, I was not shy with the Parmesan cheese!
I absolutely love pasta salad. This sounds so delicious. Would love to try it!
Thanks Susanna! I hope you try it and love it!
Yum!! This recipe combines two of my favorite things- Caesar salads and pasta dishes… I haven’t tried Litehouse brand dressing yet and look forward to giving it a try!
I stumbled across them one day a few years ago looking for Bob’s Big Boy Blue Cheese Dressing (now that is one amazing dressing) and I’ve been a fan ever since!
Love the simplicity and the depth of flavors.
Thanks Michelle!
This looks and sounds amazing. Yum, Thank you for sharing.
Aww, thank you!
This looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making this for my BBQ. I love Caesar pasta salad.
Hope you love it Ann!
I’d love to make pasta salad like this. That Caesar flavor would be a hit for sure!
It is so easy Liz, you’ll make it all the time!
This looks super yummy! It looks like an easy meal to try
Yes! So easy, it is done in minutes!
This is fabulous. I Love that this is a quick meal idea. Yummy!
Thanks Brandy!
That looks delicious and loved that you gave other suggestions of shrimp, or steak. I bet my family would like it with any of those.
We make so many variations it was fun to write some out for you guys 🙂
I love cold pasta salads, especially during the summertime, this sounds wonderful and quick and easy too!
Wonderful! I hope you try it!
I adore recipes like this. Quick, easy, and absolutely delicious. I have a few pasta salads up my sleeve that I love to throw together for parties. I’ll have to add this to that list. I see asparagus tips as a great little green addition.
Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Katie
Pasta salads are the best! I hope you get to try it and that it makes it’s way on to your permanent rotation!
That sounds outstanding. I love the flavors, and 10 minute prep is always a plus in my book!
Thanks so much Melissa!
This sounds yummy and I like how quick and easy it is to make. Thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure!
I am all for quick and easy. This sounds awesome.
Thanks Robin!
you had me at 10 minutes – with school and activities in full swing, the faster the better, and this looks delicious
Yep! And I love it because it is a perfect packable lunch too!
This recipe looks delicious and very easy! I will be trying it!
Wonderful! I hope you love it!
Easy pasta salad is always up my alley! This looks like something my husband would devour too!! Will you share this one on the weekly link up over at my page? Looks great!!
Absolutely! Thank you for the invite 🙂